Chapel of the Chimes

So our goal was to design a central courtyard space for family and friends to gather with a rabbi or priest – an area designed to become the soul of the cemetery.

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A columbarium, adjacent to the committal area, features stained glass, built-in seating and fountains and is reached through a logia entryway [ck]. The design creates an atmosphere that is contemplative and restful.

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We were also asked to create a series of burial sites that would accommodate a sliding scale of budgets. In an effort to conserve water at a location that is dependent on a well, we created a number of paved options that look like Persian carpets rather then grass-covered sites. Simply by eliminating the use of lawn we would make a significant impact on the footprint that is inherent in maintaining vast areas of lawn.  

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When you consider the cost benefit to eliminating the carbon footprint of caring for a lawn it includes: man power, pollution from gas mowers, fertilizing and feeding  grass which contaminates the ground water and also fighting natures pest like gophers and moles. The hope was that we could encourage a new mind set, a different vision for the future of cemetery planning.

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