Dewsbury Crematorium
Dewsbury, UK
This project, which gained planning approval in March 2010, has been commissioned by Kirklees Metropolitan Council Bereavement Services and will replace the existing 1960’s Dewsbury Moor Crematorium, West Yorkshire.
Our early work involved understanding the relationship of the spaces and the processional nature of the building. Key to these relationships was establishing a plan which would keep visitors physically and visually separate as they arrive and leave the site. Central to this was the arrangement of the public and private areas and the split between the functional and the necessarily more evocative and contemplative spaces.
From the outset the nature of the site, with the panoramic views to the west, and the hierarchy of the spaces suggested that the chapel should be the most significant area of the building. Having developed the site plan and the levels we were able to develop the plan to exploit the unspoilt views down the site to the west and create this space as the primary focus.
To maximise the use of natural daylight throughout the building we separated the primary and secondary spaces to create internal courtyards. These courtyards were developed not only to allow natural light to penetrate deep into the plan but also to provide mediating spaces between the large framed formal views in the chapel and the more intimate contemplation spaces.
The introduction of the pool at the front of the building was a device to ensure privacy and also to reflect natural light deep into the chapel plan.
The landscaped car park is set in to the hillside beyond to minimise views of it from the approach and to preserve the setting of the listed church to the north. A folding covered walkway provides a clear architectural device encouraging visitors to begin their journey to the building by following the gently graded route down to the waiting area. The folding roof then twists to sit over the heavier monolithic stone clad elements which provide a foil to the more sculptural and visually dominant element, the chapel. The folding roof then twists up and culminates in the sculptural chimney element above the crematory.
On exit from the chapel visitors arrive into the tiered flower garden and contemplation spaces. These consist of graded paths and smaller raised landscaped areas, providing more intimate spaces for reflection and consolation. Trees and planting provide screening to the eastern boundary of this space and ensure that visitors leaving the chapel are visually separated from those arriving.
The project is due to start on site in June 2010, with completion in May 2011.
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