FUNERAL PARLOUR IN OPAVA

Competition 2000
authors Petr Hájek, Tomáš Hradečný, Jan Šépka
cooperation Alena Budkovská, Jana Zlámalová

The new funeral parlour complements the overall urban concept of the existing cemetery and its axis links to that of the chapel on the opposite side. The elongated shape of the design represents a journey ending in a tower with light entering the main space with a displayed coffin from above. The crematorium is a vision of a building taking the form of a minimalist statue with an interior that does not distract visitors and leaves most of the impact to the funeral ceremony. The external walls of the funeral parlour are designed for construction with brushed black terrazzo. A funeral park designed as an avenue of trees along both longer sides of the funeral parlour is one of the essential parts of the structure. The avenue in this case serves as a pleasant place for resting in the shade of trees and represents the monumentality of pylons – trees, which form an imaginary natural cathedral enclosed from all sides by the columbarium walls.