Cemetery | Fjla

Baobab Open Air Chapel

Mar 17, 2022

Set amongst a grove of existing bottle trees (Brachychiton rupestris), the client wished to establish an Open-Air Chapel, over looking the new memorial gardens. We were commissioned to design and document the Chapel area, the adjoining carpark and the associated memorial gardens and burial areas in this new “high profile” area of the cemetery. The proposed design incorporated some terracing to cope with steep gradient, yet maintained accessibility for wheelchairs and the elderly. The gardens are currently under construction.

Baobab Open Air Chapel

Client
Centenary Memorial Gardens

Location
Brisbane, QLD

Consultancy Type
Lead – Small team

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Macarthur Memorial Park

Mar 16, 2020

landscape architecture cemetery project plan

In 2012, The Catholic Cemeteries Metropolitan Trust embarked on an ambitious journey to provide a visionary landscaped cemetery for the whole of Sydney. Our practice was entrusted with the task of designing an inspirational burial place on a large parcel of land (113 Ha) in Sydney’s West. Boasting panoramic views onto the Blue Mountains, Sydney CBD and the Campbelltown Valley below, it sits within the Scenic Hills and surrounds the historic Varro Ville House. The land presents multiple constraints, as is often the case on what is left of Sydney’s land suitable for cemetery development, including steep topography, the presence of Moist Shale Woodland and Cumberland Plain Woodland, heritage curtilage extending beyond the boundary of Varro Ville house, riparian zones and waterways, Aboriginal and European heritage, the potential for bushfires and tight Planning Control relating to the Environmental Protection of the Scenic Hills.

In line with our long-held philosophy that cemeteries should be designed as parks and provide a unique legacy to future generations, the vision for site will enable the client to showcase how a cemetery should be a respectful, emotional, sustainable and resilient landscape:

A sculpture Park, offering opportunities for local and Australian artists
An arboretum for future preservation and education of generations to come.
A cemetery which respects and safe keeps the important colonial landscape.
A concept which respects the Land, its landform and ecology by carefully laying roads and built environment and limit their footprint.
Concealed, private and low laying burial spaces with no visible headstones, to minimise visual impact.

Buildings: FJMT.

Soft Landscape: BOTANICA.

Civil Consultants: WSP.

Stormwater Management: Stormy Water Solutions.

Read more on Macarthur Memorial Park website.

Macarthur Memorial Park

Client
Catholic Metropolitan Cemetery Trust

Location
Campbelltown, NSW

Size
113 Ha

Consultancy Type
Lead- Large multi-disciplinary team

Achievement
Largest greenfield cemetery project in NSW

Model
Click here to see project model

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Nepean Gardens Memorial Park

Aug 25, 2018

Nepean Gardens Memorial Park

Client
Catholic Metropolitan Cemetery Trust

Location
Penrith area, NSW

Size
21.5 Ha

Consultancy Type
Lead- Large multi-disciplinary team

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Rookwood Necropolis Masterplan

Aug 24, 2018

In late 2013, our practice was entrusted with the masterplanning of Australia’s largest cemetery and the largest Victorian cemetery in the world, a cemetery with considerable heritage value, ecological constraints and complex operational issues. This task would not have been possible without our extensive understanding of the cemetery industry and the new challenges it now faces. As a site of State Significance, Rookwood must learn to survive and manage change with the parameters set by legislation. Important consultation with stakeholders and the NSW Heritage Office was undertaken as part of the consultancy Based on our calculations, Rookwood is expected to run out of burial space within the next 30 years, making it crucial and urgent to lay out a clear plan of management for its landscape and few burial areas left. “Where can efficiencies be found in land-use? How can we extend the life of the cemetery? What should the cemetery look like when full? Should the public be invited within for activities other than interring? How can Rookwood become the best of its kind, a benchmark for the industry? These are some of the questions posed and answered during an 8-month process. The result is a comprehensive report with more than 180 recommendations of practical, innovative and challenging ideas. 2017-18 Update: Implementation has started with fence replacement, new entry points, spoil re- use and recreational shared paths.

Rookwood Necropolis Masterplan

Client
Catholic Metropolitan Cemetery Trust

Location
Sydney, NSW

Size
286 Ha

Consultancy Type
Lead- Small multi-disciplinary team

Achievement
Largest cemetery in Southern Hemisphere

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Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park

Aug 23, 2018

Pinaroo valley cemetery planning Australia

For many years we expressed our passion for art in cemeteries so when a new Sculpture – inspired memorial garden was being developed in the scenic Pinnaroo Cemetery in Perth, our firm was entrusted with the concept design and implementation of Stage 1 of this small sculpture park.
The concept is based on the four elements (Earth, Wind, Fire and Water). Each garden within is centred on a sculpture, using local artwork and local vegetation in a strong architectural design. A variety of memorialisation types suitable for singles, couples and families, at different pricing levels have been incorporated into the layout to maximise the yield without compromising the strong aesthetic value of the site.
The scope of services included selection of artwork, liaising with artists, design and documentation in collaboration with MCB staff.

Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park

Client
Metropolitan Cemeteries Board

Location
Perth, WA

Size
1 Ha

Consultancy Type
Lead- Small multi-disciplinary team

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