Bordering the Duffelsesteenweg, Het Doodenhof stands out as the cemetery hedge is set 10 metres back from the roadway. It is on this undefined and oversized extension of the pavement that we position the new memorial space. In a single gesture, we give meaning to the undefined space, preserve the cemetery’s capacity, and provide a greater sense of enclosure to the burial ground on both sides of the divide, in harmony with the village scale. We connect to the clear, grid-like layout of the cemetery and create a focal point at the end of one of the long axes running parallel to the cardo maximus *1.

Evoking the caves of hermitages, Peter Zumthor’s field chapel, and stone-carved or constructed tombs worldwide, we design the memorial space as a mental refuge, where shelter, support, and solace take centre stage. We shape the space through materiality, drawing inspiration from the Roman construction method opus reticulatum. This tactile and characterful materialization supports the experience, stays in the background and leaves room for mourning. Her amorphous and plastic mode of construction offers the possibility of conceiving the inner and outer figure differently, contrasting the mental space with the outer figure designed from the physical context.

Parallel to the main road, a new open and covered gallery highlights the boundary between the public domain and the cemetery. Taking into account the lack of space in the existing cemetery, we design the long side as a memorial wall where visitors can greet their loved one in peace. Additionally, this portico serves as an effective sound barrier, significantly reducing the ambient noise from traffic.

By connecting the farewell space and the open portico, we see an opportunity to shape the unwritten ceremony of arrival, waiting, and greeting. Upon leaving the memorial space, the portico serves as a transition zone where mourners can converse and say their goodbyes.

Finally, we redesign the existing project area in front of the open gallery, creating an urn field near the main entrance and a serene, tree-lined scattering meadow at the transition zone.

*1 cardo maximus: main street, one of two main axes in Roman army towns and cities laid out according to a chessboard pattern.