A Proper Place of Death?
Author
Editor
- Ken Rivad
Summary, in English
New ways of dealing with the deceased has continuously left traces in the space of death. From the churchyard, as the sacred heart of the city, to park-like burial blocks in extra-urban cemeteries, to the more recent practice of strewing the ashes outside the borders of the cemetery, in an environment that is specific to the deceased. Some researchers even speak of a shift: from an institutional to an individual notion of death. An important issue, which often collides with this individualisation of death, is the continual demand of efficiency and order on cemeteries of today pared with the latest requirement - to express spiritual character without religious codes. Hence the space of death can be said to reveal a tension between private and public as well as between sacred and secular interests.
As a further example of this tension we may regard the spontaneous sacralisation and personalisation of public space, at the sites of motor vehicle accidents, murders, terrorist acts or other catastrophes, which expresses a strong need somewhat opposite to the current demand for efficient public environments, free from religious and persona-oriented symbols. It also reflects society’s religious structures and social orderings as well as changes in these matters over time. If we as architects and designers are to constructively support and reflect such tensions, needs, and changes I suggest it is important that we in the twenty-first century start employing an inclusive approach to design strategies. So as to provide more creative ways of defining a place as proper than by excluding that which is improper.
Department/s
Publishing year
2006
Language
English
Pages
110-117
Publication/Series
Nordic Association of Architectural Research Annual Symposium 2006
Full text
- Available as PDF - 75 kB
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Document type
Conference paper
Publisher
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture Copenhagen
Topic
- Design
Keywords
- place
- profane
- cemetery
- sacred
- proper
- private
- tactic
- memorial
- death
- public
- strategy
- space
Conference name
Architects in the 21th century : agents of change?
Conference date
0001-01-02
Conference place
Copenhagen, Denmark
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISBN: 978-87-7830-144-4
- ISBN: 87-7830-144-0