Crematorium and cemetery Hubballi, Karnataka

Abstract

As we all know, “Death is the biggest reality of this mortal life”, the associated Funeral can be defined as a gathering of family and friends who come together to honour the memory of a loved one, who has died, these activities map a place which has been there since very existence human beings. Funeral grounds, namely - Crematorium and Cemetery are not mere 'spaces' but are 'places' designated for the purpose of funeral ceremonies and associated ritual activities. These funeral places are important amenity which is required by all citizens, but the growing insecurity of urban development authorities, where even the notion of death isn't welcome, has led to a great ignorance of these final resting places. As a result these places are subjected to vandalism creating a detachment between its intangible relations with the rhythms of everyday life of the citizens. Most crematorium complexes today are located next to either a noisy motorway or in an industrial park. The reasoning behind this is usually to make sure it is not open to the public for viewing unless they want to be a part of it. Usually, the crematoria end up in an open landscape but have walls that would screen this in order to maintain some kind of privacy. The need for re-integration of cemeteries or burial-ground into the folds of the urban fabric has been discussed and analysed through this Design Thesis project. It aims to take into account the far reaching effects of the burial and cremation sites on the sociocultural anthropology of urban landscapes as well as the spiritual and metaphysical significance associated with it. The aim of the project is to express the communicative character of architecture, most precisely, of a 'funerary complex‘, in an essential way to fade tragic scenarios such as death. The intent is to overcome the negativity associated with death and death spaces and enhance a sense of natural acceptance of such built forms while attempting to eloquently navigate the changing role of religion in the modern society by creating an environment that is secular in nature and open to all.