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Headline: New Funeral Centre Rethinks the Way We Say Goodbye

Caption: A Dutch studio has sought to “rethink the way we say goodbye” with the design of a new Funeral Centre. Following a personal experience, architect firm HofmanDujardin has initiated a project to give the deceased a meaningful farewell celebrating their life and bringing back ceremonial elements of the past. Comprising a sequence of three rooms, developed around the place of the coffin as an epicentre, the structure aims to connect timeless values of our existence to modern ways of life. The Dutch architecture studio has identified three key moments in the procedure of a funeral: the gathering of friends and family, the actual ceremony of remembrance, and a third moment of social encounter, which it has then translated into a series of three carefully shaped rooms. Commenting on the project Michiel Hofman, founding partner, explains: “The lack of places for worthy send offs results in unease feelings during crucial moments in our lives. “Naturally following our design philosophy Shaping Intuition®, focusing on the intuitive values of human beings, we designed a Funeral Centre which tries to break this discomfort. “The design combines timeless qualities with elements of our modern ways of life.” In the first room, the assembly of relatives, friends and known associates is enclosed by a memory wall. This multimedia screen, on which family and friends can share videos and photographs of moments with their loved one, forms a lively collage celebrating their life. The images form a background to the silence and might be translated in a downloadable video clip. The wall allows to create a sublime, shared moment of collectively reliving stories. The space for the actual remembrance ceremony defines the shape of the three rooms; its triangular plan creates intimacy in both small and bigger groups. The two curved walls and the ceiling bend inwards to define a passage as the centre for the coffin. Behind, an expansive empty space opens towards a panorama of the surroundings. The shape implies a flow back towards nature, closing the circle of life. After the ceremony, a third space offers the opportunity to enhance social relations. The timber clad walls and floor create a warm and comfortable atmosphere. The neutral round serving tables make the room suitable for formal and informal events. Co-founder Barbara Dujardin adds: “The way we say good bye to our loved ones is a very personal decision; we designed a Funeral Centre which is specifically suitable for its function, and at the same time leaves room for interpretation. "We think that sad moments in our life should be beautiful at the same time.”

Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story,odd; oddity; offbeat; quirky; weird;

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