Green Funeral Ceremony Center Centre de Ceremònias Funeràrias by Or Man Lai

Green Funeral Ceremony Center Centre de Ceremònias Funeràrias by Or Man Lai is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2020 A' Design Award de Bronze in Arquitectura Competition Category.

BronzeArquitectura· 2020

Green Funeral Ceremony Center Centre de Ceremònias Funeràrias

by Or Man Lai

Client: Sage Funeral Services Ltd.

A' Design Award de Bronze Winner in Arquitectura Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Green Funeral Ceremony Center Centre de Ceremònias Funeràrias

Gather es un centre de ceremònias funeràrias construit a Sai Kung, Hong Kong. Lo bastiment seguís tres estapas de movement, nomenadas Partença, Amassada e Connexion. Un espaci d'exposicion permet a la familha e als convidats de veire lo defunt. Un atrium public ofrís repaus e reflexion, amb la lutz del solelh e las ombras dels arbres. Un jardin de cendres sus la tulha aporta elements de natura als visitors. La estructura combina cendras umanas amb formigon, e de materials reciclats son utilizats a l'interior. Las formas rapèlan doas mans que se rejónhon. L'intencion es d'alegir lo dòl e de sosténer la connexion sociala.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronze

Green Funeral Ceremony Center Centre de Ceremònias Funeràrias a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze, una reconeissença plan prestigiosa acordada a de designs excellents que se destrian per la creativitat, l'engenh e la finessa. Los ganhaires del Bronze son d'artefactes largament abils e sorprenentament creatius que provan la vasta experiéncia, l'imaginacion e l'engenhositat de lors designers. S'espèra que Green Funeral Ceremony Center Centre de Ceremònias Funeràrias siá un objècte fòrça considerat, admirat e estimat, notablament professional e innovant. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award de Bronze integra las melhoras practicas de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia e es excellent per son atencion al detalh. Green Funeral Ceremony Center Centre de Ceremònias Funeràrias satisfa esplendidament los besonhs, toca los desirs, encanta los sentiments e interèssa la curiositat.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The green funeral center with the theme of Gather delivers the message of connection, of joining together and of humanity. The three stages of human flow are portrayed throughout the building and rooftop ash garden, which is intended to promote togetherness, in order to diminish the sadness and grief characteristic of traditional Chinese funerals. Its building materials and structure are composed of human ashes and concrete, in convergence with the center’s shapes, as a metaphor of two human hands meeting, implying that people can find a common point to understand that a funeral is a time to gather.
Dimensions & Packaging: 67200 mm x 20800 mm x 8200mm
Tags: funeral, ceremony, centre, HongKong, contemporary, eco, green burial, architecture
Production Technology: The funeral center has been unique in its use of recycled materials for the interior. The focus is on highlighting the Earth, inside and out, and the most innovative building material used was human ash. The building has created a space that makes human bodies useful in death, as they were in life, and creates a strong foundation thereby minimizing the use of non-renewable resources. The rooftop garden offers elements of nature to the guests, and the outside trees provide natural shade for their comfort.
Design Challenge: During this architectural project, one of the greatest challenges was dealing with the complicated nature of death and funerals, which are associated with sadness and negativity. Sage Funeral Services Ltd. always strives to provide a customized, high-quality funeral service experience, but Asian elders and traditionalists may not accept a green funeral. However, the designer is confident that the theme will promote a sense of community and offer a safe space in which to grieve and heal.
Research: In line with gathering together to celebrate life, the designer has created an eco-friendly funeral service center with recycled materials and an overall friendly space where visitors can have a unique experience of social connection and healing. The designer focused on the essence of a funeral to pay respects to ancestors and allow modern funeral services to infuse elements of environmental protection. We also utilized an ash and concrete mixture that is eco-friendly and reduces the use of resources.
Inspiration: With a view to gathering together, through an eco-friendly, modern funeral using recycled materials, visitors can experience social bonding and healing. Focused on the essence of a funeral being to remember one’s ancestors, Gather allows the customization of events to infuse elements of environmental protection. It celebrates humanity by using people’s bodies that were once important to life, allowing them to be essential in death, by converting the dead and Gathering them into a physical form. The building itself is designed to encourage movement.
Project Duration: Tai Mong Tsai Road, Sai Kung, Hong Kong
Remaining Portion of section B of Lot no.333 Lands
Operation Flow: The whole space is divided into three parts: the Leaving, Gathering, and Connection. The exhibition space enables the family and guests to view the deceased in the early part of the ceremony in order to strengthen the cohesiveness. Then everyone can gather in the public atrium to have a rest and partake in some reflection. With the support of the family and guests, the sun and the tree shadows can calm the mind and body. Finally, all pass through the square, where the soul will be connected, and reach the final warm funeral and meditation space, and face the turning of life with forgiveness.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Or Man Lai, 2019.
Image Credits: #1 : Creator Or ManLai, Green Funeral Ceremony Center, 2019.
#2 : Creator Or ManLai, Green Funeral Ceremony Center, 2019.
#3 : Creator Or ManLai, Green Funeral Ceremony Center, 2019.
#4 : Creator Or ManLai, Green Funeral Ceremony Center, 2019.
#5 : Creator Or ManLai, Green Funeral Ceremony Center, 2019.