“What is the nature of grief and mourning in a society that no longer shares a religious or philosophical view of death and what comes after?” The question, posed by designers Mjölk architekti, proved to be the genesis of an elegant yet soulful new public landscape on the outskirts of the Czech city of Liberec. Situated alongside an older municipal cemetery, the simple but carefully resolved site creates a comforting and reflective environment with dedicated spaces for interment and the scattering of ashes, as well as a memorial for unborn children.
Anchored by a broad circular walking trail, the almost 3,000-square-metre site — designed by the local team of Mjölk architekti in collaboration with landscape designers Atelier Flera — fosters a reflective and dignified ambiance for mourning and commemoration. Inside the circle, a modest lawn is gently elevated atop a plinth.
The simple space is furnished only by a stone table, carved from a single piece of locally extracted granite and polished to a fine surface gloss. With the table at its heart, the open lawn becomes an intuitive and unfussy gathering space for funeral ceremonies, including the scattering of ashes.
Framing the stone-clad path, an evolving grove of electrical lanterns offers individual memorials for those laid to rest by scattering. The elegantly thin, streamlined vertical forms each feature an integrated brass plaque bearing the name of the deceased, and are topped by a frosted glass bulb that lights up to the touch. Upon activation, the lantern remains lit for 72 hours, ingeniously yet tastefully replicating the lighting of a ceremonial candle.
For the burial of cremated remains, meanwhile, a an adjacent lawn of spare yet precisely marked holes stretches just beyond the circle. Finally, a quiet corner of the site is given over to a memorial for stillborn children. Under the shade of a birch tree, parents can light a candle — or place a small object — into the alcoves carved into a split rock. It is a simple space at the end of a path. There is a stone bench, where they can sit down, however long, before moving on.
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