Re-thinking the Funeral Home Design

Spaces that process death — funeral homes, family tombs, crematoria — are traditionally housed within structures that either perpetuate their morbid reputation or attempt to mask their purpose altogether. They are low-lying, dark, heavy buildings with outdated design and architecture. They seem to try to hide and apologize for what their existence stands for.

But, there are some modern architects who are trying to transform the traditional approach to these spaces, to design these environments with more energy and reverence for life. They are designing positive, life-affirming spaces where the dead are honored and their loved ones can process their loss in peace.

Over the coming weeks Soulful Expressions will take a look at some of these modern spaces, designed by renowned architects around the world.

Funeral Home and Garden at Pinoso, Alicante, Spain

The Funeral Home and Gardens for the Town Council of Pinoso was designed by architectural firm COR & Associates, with a clear focus to the experience of being in the building. Nothing here is left to coincidence — conscious design decisions create the resulting light, sound, temperature, and humidity that create the desired environment. The result is an environment that treats its users with the respect and sensitivity needed in such a space.

The funeral home is located at the edge of town, surrounded by rural vegetation, and buffered from adjacent buildings by what the architects call a “vegetation mattress” — twenty-nine Japanese maples. As they grow, the trees will provide an increasing privacy from the building’s immediate surroundings.

The building includes six internal courtyards with full-height glazing, allowing visitors to connect with the outside, and adding to aesthetics of this controlled environment.

Most notable about the Funeral Home at Pinoso is its low cost — the building was completed for just €430,000 (about $575,000 USD).