Reinvigorates Ritual for the Dead

Land is one of many precious resources gifted from Mother Earth. In Singapore, it is the most limited resource.This leads to an issue regarding the decency of settling the dead because land is primarily reserved for housing and transportation to serve the ever growing population. In such conditions, traditional archtypes of rituals must be redefined as a new columbarium typology

The proposed project site has a close proximity to housing developments, yet is is not too accessible. Thus it allows for the community to determine their own level of physical contact with a space for the dead. Ultimately, an urban leftover space in between the Clementi housing estates and the Ayer Rajah Expressway is selected for a re-imagination of a columbarium for the local Chinese Taoist demographic.

 

Architecturally, the building is derived from traditional Chinese tomb sweeping rituals and the analysis of local context. The design revives the ritualistic experience of tomb sweeping, something that was lost during the typological transformation from tomb to niche. Yet, it does not compromise on the dead space that needs to be invisible from above ground.