Category: Concept design and detailing
Location: Bollebygd, Sweden
Year: 2022-2026
Client: Svenska kyrkan. Göteborg assembly
The cemetery is located in a picturesque setting on the outskirts of Bollebygd. The church can be seen from afar among the trees and from the road leading towards the town. Upon arrival at the cemetery, visitors are met with a quiet and serene atmosphere. Here, in a place characterised by traditional materials and historic elements, several development projects have recently taken place. Mareld has had the opportunity to design outdoor areas around a new morgue, as well as a new cemetery extension for Muslim and non-religious burial grounds. We have also worked on refurbishing the entrance area leading to the Parish Hall and an existing memorial grove.
The outdoor areas around the new morgue have been designed to blend seamlessly with both the contemporary architecture of the new building and the historic cemetery surrounding it. The goal was to create a semi-secluded space for quiet contemplation, open towards views of the cemetery while protected from the adjoining roads. Classic forms and materials were carefully selected to anchor the building within its existing context. Vegetation is used to provide a muted palette of colours and movement whilst screening views towards the roads.
The new cemetery extension is located between the existing cemetery and a newly built residential area, making it important to design the space so that it could be appreciated by both cemetery visitors and local residents. While awaiting future use as a cemetery, the area currently functions as a park with its gently meandering paths, abundant trees, and small pavilion that invite visitors to take a walk in this calm setting. The overall concept is “meadows within a forest”. The dense wooded areas surrounding open grassy spaces that will eventually serve as burial grounds. A more varied planting palette, including some exotic species, has been chosen to reflect and create connections to the diverse backgrounds of the people who may visit this part of the cemetery.
