empty na perštýně.

CTU in Prague - Faculty of Architecture

Project idea

The main idea was to figure out a way how to place a cemetery in the city. Initially I made a mental map of emty spaces in cities that aren’t convinient and comfortable for residential or office development. At the same time I tried to create a versatile concept that can be used everywhere when needed - in the city or village or anywhere else. The base of this project is product design of a new urn that shapes the whole structure. The cemetery uses unsuitable spaces for living, cemetery then does not occupy a large area, that can be used for living or agriculture and industry. Large number of urns can be placed in a small area. The project also strives to be sustainable cause the material of urn’s can be customised. By using recycled plastic, concrete, clay and materials based on locality and availability of materials. It also tries to create a new "home" for deacesed and tries to bring them closer to the loved one’s. The cemetery is also a small attempt to see what architecture can do and what it’s limits are in creating new ideas and habits.

Project description

A site selection was made in the historical centre of Prague. It’s a difficult site to build on. Also the surrounding buildings are quite old and have unique shapes, that had to be considered while designing new cemetary. After musing and writing an essay, I decided on the concept of emptiness.
The cemetery is designed as an empty house, which consists of a steel structure that is filled with bricks, which serve as an urn. They can be designed in different ways - a brick has a container in it in which the ashes of the deceased are placed. In the future, one can also think of creating a new material where the ashes of the deceased are mixed in, so that the whole brick serves as an urn. The floor plan of the house creates rooms, which are filled with furniture - sculpture, which is made of steel profiles and mimics the interior of an apartment.
The design is versatile and can be used wherever it is needed. A large number of urns can be placed in a small area. The cemetery then does not occupy a large area, that can be used for living or agriculture and industry.
By placing the cemetery in the city, the commuting distance is reduced and we thus have the opportunity to meet our loved ones in our daily activities.
In mass the house mimics the medieval buildings of the Old Town and attempts to soften the gap. The corner is dominated by a tower of memories to highlight the cemetary as an important building amongst the surrounding buildings.

Technical information

The cemetery is designed as an empty house. A white steel structure is designed in the gap. Between the structural grid are „shelves“ on, which the bricks (urns) are stacked and anchored. They are stacked in a certain grid, that can be adapted to the situation. The grid creates small shelves and niches in which people can place flowers and candles. The bricks can be designed in different ways - the brick has a container in which the ashes of the deceased are placed. The material can also be customised, recycled plastic, concrete, clay can also be used, based on order and availability. In the future, one can also think of creating a new material where the ashes of the deceased are mixed in, so that the whole brick serves as an urn.
The construction is designed to create rooms, the urns are placed around the perimeters, in the middle of the layout is a furniture - a sculpture, which is created with steel profiles and it mimics the interior of an apartment. There is a central staircase which overlooks the interior to accommodate the scale of the building, then there is a fire escape staircase and a lift. The ceiling of the storey is concealed by reflective sheeting, which adds up to the scale of the building.
The brick has a dimension of 200x400x100 mm
30 urns can be placed on one row, which further become stacked, then on 2 shelves of each floor, in total the house has 3 floors that can be used for urns.