The Urnenhain Cemetery in Linz - Austria, 1999

"During his lifetime a man leaves a fine trace in the space that will not extinguish."
This idea of the Surrealists becomes in the connection with the cemetery a metaphor - Traces of life drawn in the ground as remembrances.

The site
The old cemetery is a picturesque and magical place with a rich history. A brook and rich flora are its characteristics. The competition site is opposite to the old part a plain agricultural piece of meadow. By a series of strategic operations this wasteland is transformed to a garden of remembrances.

The definition of the space
A L-shaped raising of the topography along the southern and eastern border of the site creates together with the existing edge of the wood in the north and east a closed landscape. An enclosed space with free vistas to the surrounding hills.

Silence
Through the operation of raising the banks of the brook the noise of the surrounding streets is kept out.

The refining of the space
Views ... to catch - to lead - to open
Through the beech-tree wood in the centre the space seems endless.

The mass ...the structure...the light
Only the roof of the great hall is visible as a "light-mark" in the landscape. The organism of the crematory vanishes into the landscape

The system of paths
The design takes over the existing paths at the boarders and leads them to the new system of paths.
1. The main axis is the shortest connection from the existing main entrance to the new building complex, specially to the dismissal-hall. A wooden bridge spans the path even to the main gate.
2. A geometric screen of paths divides the urn wood into rectangles. It is the basic way net for the further development.
3. The big diagonal connects the old crematory with the new buildings.
4. The traces lead through the beech wood and the laying-out rooms as remembrances of the traces of the living.
5. The small diagonal connects visually the old entrance with the new cemetery.

The dismissal-hall
The dismissal-hall is not a classic indoor space. It defines a part of the landscape as the scene for the ritual of dismissal.

The long and curved urn wall defines the place.
The light roof protects from weather and sun without disturbing the impression of being almost in the open. (outdoors)

The passage in the raising end of the convex wall marks the entrance for the funeral procession. The begin of the ceremony is defined by walking through the space forming wall.

While the coffin is been put up in a sort of "conch" the funeral guests take their places in the bright room. The separation is now symbolised in space.

The glazed back wall of the hall that can partly be opened allows an almost unlimited number of funeral guests to take part at the ceremony of dismissal.

The position of the coffin in the "conch" makes it possible to end the ceremony by closing a heavy separation wall in front of the coffin.

The laying-out rooms
The eight laying-out rooms are half hidden under the raised topography.
The calmness of the rooms is emphasised by the massive way of building.
The single rooms are developed like meanders around small individual glass-roofed courts.
The indirect way of light tunes out the daytime.

The introvert rooms create a framework of calmness and dignity for the singular event of parting a loved. The deeper entrance underlines the private demand for individual meditation.

The view OUT follows the TRACES and gets lost in the beech wood

The vestibule
All individual laying-out rooms are connected to a continuous hall. The long vestibule can be used as a direct roofed connection to the dismissal-hall.

The hall can also be understood as a follow up of front areas to the laying-out rooms. The transverse traces increase this impression. The vestibule is not located at the main axis. The movement around the dismissal-hall will not interfere with it.

The inner organisation
The administration is accessible from the public space between the dismissal and laying-out halls. The transport of the coffins and urns takes place from the parking on the east side.
The inner functions are organised on the ground floor. The massive building is covered by a roof garden that continues and becomes a part of landscape. The transport of the coffins to the different stations is managed by an internal corridor.


Technical Information

Client
Stadtbetriebe Linz GmbH
Baumanagement

Project Team
Alfred Berger, Tiina Parkkinen, Peter Thalbauer, Ivan Zdenkovic

Modell
Modellbau Brühl

Consultants
Structural Engineers: Dipl.Ing. Manfred Gmeiner Wien
Landscaping: Dipl.Ing. Cordula Loidl-Reisch Wien



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