Returning to Earth: Natural Design for a Cemetery in Otter Tail County

For thesis, I chose the cemetery and memorial typology and dove into the world of natural burial and alternatives to what we now consider “traditional” burial. The problems facing cemeteries today are that traditional cemetery design and burial practices are unsustainable. The number of natural resources used is intense and we need to consider alternatives that will reduce their environmental impact. Cemeteries also occupy valuable green space that most people avoid or consider off limits. By designing outdoor spaces that allow for meaningful connection to nature while providing the opportunity for remembrance and contemplation, cemeteries become important usable space for all. Through historical and typological analysis, the exploration and scrutiny of how cemeteries fit within the framework of landscape architecture result in a better understanding of how future cemetery design should be approached. Assessments of existing cemeteries helped develop a comprehensive list of program elements to be implemented within the sustainable design alternative to traditional cemeteries resulting in cemeteries that are designed for all and provide meaningful opportunities for remembrance and connections with nature.

The Research

The first thing I did in researching this topic was take a deep dive into the history of cemeteries in the United States. By understanding better the way they fit into the framework of Landscape Architecture, I better understand how we got to current cemetery design and how important the role of landscape architecture is in the green burial movement and incorporating sustainable alternatives to cemetery design.

Guiding Principle Elements Placement.png

Then I examined 5 cemeteries, their program elements and design narratives.

Lakewood Memorial Mausoleum Garden in Minneapolis is experienced in a sunken garden setting surrounded by buildings and berms. This low area provides a calmness and quiet – separate from the nearby roads and traditional cemetery. A flat skim pool reflects the sky and trees that run parallel to it and small outdoor niches provide quiet spaces for contemplation and remembrance while being open to the gathering lawn.

Askim Memorial Grove in Sweden is a sunken garden setting which made use of the small bowl-shaped landscape and added terraced lawns for the anonymous interment of ashes. Permanent memorials are provided through engravings on a stone perimeter wall. A small, still pond and seating provide that an opportunity for reflection and renewal.

Hofheide Crematorium in Belgium is set in a marshland environment with a woodland perimeter. Long walks through marshland and open spaces with little to no tree coverage are distinct in their experience. Berms shield visitors from a nearby busy road and the columbaria are arranged to provide private moments for remembrance. A variety of engraved stones are used for memorials.

De Neeva Ooster in Amsterdam is a historic cemetery that provides nearly every possible burial option. There is a still pond for reflection that also provides ash internment within floating urns. Gathering space runs parallel to the pond. Columbaria are arranged to create intimate enclosed spaces that protect from the elements and provide seating. Ashes may be scattered in several gardens with paths and a variety of planting arrangements. Urn burials are covered with permanent memorial stones.

Woodland Cemetery is in Stockholm where visitors arrive to a flagstone path that is situated with a long wall on one side and wide-open space on the other. A large cross in the distance provides a terminus to the path while the meditation grove sitting atop a hill is a beacon. The view from the meditation grove is the reward for the climb – either via steps or sloped path. A lily pond at the bottom of the hill reflects the meditation grove, the cross, or the sky. Burials are arranged in the forest and small chapels that reflect the culture of the area are scattered throughout the trees.

Four guiding principles were identified during analysis, those principles being Remembrance, Sustainability, Contemplation and Democracy. The icons shown below are representative of some of the design elements that fall into these categories. When analyzing case studies, I was able to identify the design elements that fell within these guiding principles, evaluate their importance, and decide how I would implement them in my design.

The thesis site is a 30-acre plot of land in central Minnesota located 85 miles southeast of Fargo and 190 miles northwest of St. Paul. This site was selected based on its proximity to natural features and existing amenities. Battle Lake is the nearest city and features the Glendalough Trail, an 11.8-mile loop that connects to nearby Glendalough State Park. Glendalough State Park, adjacent to the thesis site, averaged more than 106,000 visitors over the last two years and offers 9 miles of hiking trails, fishing, camping, canoeing, and wildlife viewing.

Site Analysis

Soil
- There are three types of soil on the site. Understanding their qualities helped to inform where different design elements would be located.
Vegetation
- The site is divided into three distinct vegetative zones.
- There are 4 acres of riparian vegetation on the west side of the site along the lake where you will find sedges, grasses, and cattails.
- The middle 20 acres of the site is primarily hardwood forest consisting of oaks, basswoods, maples and elms
- and understory plantings such as horsetail, bellwort, and prickly ash.
- There are 6 acres of prairie vegetation on the east edge of the site which consist primarily of grasses and wildflowers.
Runoff and Slope
- Considering slope throughout the site and where storm water runs through and off the site played an important role in placement of key design elements such as trails and water features.
Moments
- Key Moments that I will highlight throughout the site are prospect and refuge where users may take in views from the edge of the forest with an overhead tree canopy, enclosure where thick trees and understory create dappled light and intimate spaces within the forest, and vistas where prairie vegetation offers wide open views.

Program & Performance Criteria

Program - Using the case studies and guiding principles I focused on the functions of remembrance, contemplation, and pleasure to determine a list of necessary program elements.

Performance Criteria - Keeping in mind what the goals of this project are, I used the following performance criteria to guide - and then measure the success of - the design.

Design Narrative & Project Statement

After all that research and analysis, we come to design. My design is driven by the desire to create a place of remembrance, contemplation, and connection with nature, to create a space that honors the memories of lost loved ones and allows for a transition back to nature. To include quiet places for reflection and introspection. To provide opportunities for the gatherings of communities of shared experiences. And to open these spaces up to be used by all people who long for and appreciate the restorative benefits of being in nature.

Encouraged always to be sketching, I worked through many versions of each of the design elements to explore scale, materials, and form while keeping in mind the principles of remembrance, sustainability, democracy, and contemplation.

Master Plan

This is the master plan which will be explored in three sections for a better understanding of the programming but first I wanted to share the overall plan and then how the elements of each of the guiding principles are located across the site.

Prairie Zone

The Prairie section of the site is where most guests will enter by car. After parking, a path leads to a large gathering plaza for community events. The overhead tree canopy and stone paving create this outdoor room with hardwood forest on one side and open prairie on the other. Crossing the plaza, guests are met with views of a meadow of prairie grasses and wildflowers where people can scatter the ashes of those they have lost. On the right, a path that runs along the forest’s edge to a chapel that may be used for memorial ceremonies and other special occasions. A small plaza connects you to a contemplative space perched near a small pool where a stream emerges from the woods and flows around the scatter garden to the reflecting pond. A path follows the stream from the woods towards the columbaria that store cremated remains. The intimate space within the walls of the columbaria with dense leafy canopy provide an opportunity to sit in quiet reflection and remembrance. A stone wall on the south and west sides of the columbaria allows for the placement of memorial plaques in remembrance of those who’s ashes have been scattered on site.

Here is a section of the water feature, seating areas, scatter garden and columbaria. A row of lindens provides a visual boundary on the north side of this part of the site.

Woodland Zone

From the plaza, visitors may choose to follow either of the woodland trail that leads into a thick hardwood forest. Many trails meander through this section of the site. Natural burial sites are located near the east side of this site and marked with flat memorial stones while another scatter garden will be located at the center. Small contemplative spaces are located within the forest. Located at the highest and lowest spots on the site, these spaces offer a variety of experiences, some near the stream or lily pond, some for solitude, some for small gathering…all immersed nature.

Planting in this area of the site again leans on the existing plant palette of hardwood trees and understory plantings. This contemplative space, placed near the lily pond, also includes some of the cattails, grass and sedge that will also be found in the riparian zone of the site.

Riparian Zone

The west edge of the site is marked by drop in topography, consists of riparian vegetation, and offers expansive views of the lake. This part of the site includes water overlooks, lakeside contemplation platforms, water access via kayak or canoe, and scatter garden surrounded by a boardwalk that extends over the lake. Gathering spaces are provided at both ends of the boardwalk and dock – one on the lake and the other beneath the lake overlook.

This section shows the gathering spaces at both ends of the boardwalk and dock – one larger space located on the lake and a smaller one tucked beneath the lake overlook.

Design Results

Design Results - going back to the performance measures, the design implemented in this thesis approached
- Spatial Allocation through
  - nearly 1.5 miles of trails added that range between widths of 10’ for the main pathways and 4’ for the paths leading to small contemplative spaces.
  - Seating designed using standard dimensions and placed throughout the site to allow for resting AND
  - Contemplative and Gathering Spaces that were sized using landscape architecture time saver standards based on the number of people they are intended to accommodate.
- Behavioral Performance was peaked by including Seasonal interest and views.
  - Plantings for Seasonal Interest – while usership is reduced during winter months, there are year-round recreation opportunities which prompted thoughtful consideration of placement of native plantings that provide colorful and textural seasonal interest.
  - Views – knowing that visitors will be utilizing the site for connection with nature as well as memorial and remembrance, programming was placed with optimal viewing opportunities in mind. There are four distinct locations for prospect and refuge moments and as well as four moments that offer open prairie and lake vistas.
- Energy Consumption performance was measured by the reduction in natural resources used
  - Using native plantings reduces the need for irrigation. This site is naturally gifted with prairie plantings that endure and thrive our harsh winters, often dry summers, and year-round wind which is why a native-only plant palette is supported in this design. For the 2.5 acres burial site alone, more than 65,000 gallons of water would be conserved annually verses irrigating a traditional lawn cemetery of the same size.
  - Fuel for Maintenance and mowing – as compared to traditional lawn or memorial park cemeteries, this cemetery does not require grave upkeep and mowing. On this small 2.5 acre natural burial site, NOT mowing saves at least 25 gallons of fuel each year in addition to the fuel necessary to operate vehicles for digging graves and placement of vaults.
  - Should this site have been laid out using the common contemporary design for cemeteries, a large portion of the 20 acres of hardwood forest would have been cleared to provide the pristine lawn-like aesthetic. The energy and resources needed to clear that acreage are reduced and the trees are left to provide human comfort while supporting the environment.
  - Should the 2.5 acres of natural burial on this site be used for conventional burial, over 3,000 plots could be laid out resulting in over 56,000 cubic feet of concrete for vaults and over 30,000 linear feet of hardwoods for caskets.