CEMETERY LANDSCAPE

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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Garden of All Seasons, Altona

Aug 23, 2018

Garden of all seasons cemetery plan memorial passage

The Memorial Gardens which form the core of the cemetery were incomplete. FJLA was engaged to design a garden which would complete and complement the other “courts” whilst being contemporary in its detailing.
The result was a hedged garden with seasonal theme, ornamental paving with botanical etching [Designed by Florence Jaquet who is also a botanical artist], reticulated and self-sustainable fountains interrupted by a central and shady arbour.
The design introduced artwork from emerging Victorian sculptors and drought resistant planting not previously seen in the park. All this was achieved through comprehensive consultation with the Trust and ground staff.
The memorial garden provides up to 6 different type of ash interments, catering for individuals, couples and families at different levels of affordability.
Our office provided services from concept design through to contract administration. The project was delivered on time and on budget.

Garden of All Seasons, Altona

Client
Altona Memorial Park Trust (now GMCT)

Location
Altona, VIC

Size
0.5Ha

Consultancy Type
Lead- Small multi-disciplinary team

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Edendale Northern Memorial Park

Aug 23, 2018

With the decision to drain an existing unsightly water storage pond, the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust determined to develop the area for prestige semi-monumental lawn graves and incorporate a creek system. We saw an opportunity for the first WSUD project to be implemented in accordance with our previous Stormwater management Strategy in this large cemetery. (refer Fawkner Cemetery Masterplan, the first cemetery Stormwater Management Plan in Victoria) .
The project included enhancing views to an existing creek, the development of a new ephemeral creek and the layout out of ornamental (not just functional) garden beds and burial plots. The ephemeral creek was designed to retain small water bodies along its route that would act as the end filtration device for storm water run-offs emanating for the future Northern Memorial Park extension.
Vehicular and pedestrian bridges were designed and located to provide effective connections to existing roads and paths while promoting views across the various water elements.
This is the most popular area in NMP, a claim we are proud of and attribute to the aesthetics, attention to detail and our understanding of the psychology behind the grieving process.

Edendale Northern Memorial Park

Client
GMCT

Location
Fawkner, VIC

Size
2.5Ha

Consultancy Type
Lead- Small multi-disciplinary

Achievement
First WSUD project implemented at Fawkner Cemetery

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Children section

Apr 8, 2018

Children section in cemetery tree layout plan

Children sections are the most emotionally charged places in cemeteries. As everyone in our society agrees, losing a child is worst imaginable grief, so it is particularly important that these places be inviting, thoughtful and well care-for. As is often the case, parents visit a child’s grave with siblings. Often the children are young (pre- school age), bored and not ready to grieve on request. The graves are often adorned with trinkets and toys. Our clients tell us that the combination of toys and boredom lead to objects being displaced, causing immense distress to affected parents.
We have long recognised the need to design children section differently and thoughtfully. This project demonstrates that a meaningful design can achieve this, by providing a “safe and therapeutic” space for accompanying children where they can entertain themselves, write messages to their siblings or grieve in their own way whilst parent tend to the grave.
Symbolically the central tree (a Baobab or bottle tree) stands as the “Mother” and the smaller nearby Beaucarneas (Ponytail Palm) gather nearby as the “Children”. The layout is based on the uncurling tree fern which represents “Youth”.
This garden, in our view, should become a benchmark in cemetery design and is aimed at inspiring other to provide similar spaces.

Children section

Client
Confidential

Location
Confidential

Size
113 Ha

Consultancy Type
Lead- Small multi-disciplinary team

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Wollongong Lawn Cemetery Masterplan

Apr 7, 2018

In late 2014, Wollongong City Council embarked on a masterplanning exercise for 2 of its key interment sites, Wollongong Lawn Cemetery in Kembla Grange and Wollongong Memorial Gardens in Berkeley. Its aim was to ascertain growth opportunities, maximise the use of the location and identify areas for improvements whilst providing a financial and environmentally sustainable operation. Our practice put together a team of sub-consultants including Changing Places (operations advice), RSM Bird Cameron (Financial modelling), IGNITE (Architects), Triaxial Consulting (Engineers) and Biosis (Ecologists).
The tasks:

Analyse both the operations and the physical site
Conduct stakeholder’s consultation
Create a vision for both sites
Present recommendations for operational, landscape and building issues
Prepare a staging plan for the implementation of the above recommendations
Prepare a financial model for selected implementation scenarios.

Wollongong Lawn Cemetery Masterplan

Client
Wollongong City Council

Location
Kembla Grange, Wollongong, NSW

Size
40 Ha

Consultancy Type
Lead- Small multi-disciplinary team

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