Alvarez Ouburg Architects' 2nd-prize entry for a new Crematorium in Oostende, Belgium

Out of four finalists, Amsterdam-based Alvarez Ouburg Architects (Office Jarrik Ouburg + laura alvarez architecture) recently won 2nd-prize in an invite-only competition to design a new crematorium in the Belgian city of Oostende.

Alvarez Ouburg's proposal of the crematorium complements the surrounding forest landscape to create a spatial yet intimate experience for its visitors.

Have a look at their entry right below.

Project description:

"The site of the new crematorium is located within a master plan that connects  the coastline with the green belt surrounding the city of Oostende. In the direct surroundings of the site a new forest will be planted. The new crematorium is proposed as a house in a garden in that forest.

The existing topography of a former brick factory defines a square-shaped open room  with small hills, clay and remaining raw materials."

"This topography provides intimacy for the crematorium and disconnects it from the main access road. The garden of the crematorium with the urn field and columbarium in it, takes the 'terrain vague' of the former factory as starting point.

The crematorium is located exactly on the border between the forest and the garden and is therefore an important link in the landscape scenery. Visitors enter from the dense green forest through the colonnade of the crematorium into the open garden."

"The crematorium is conceived as a series of rooms with their own materialization, proportions and use of natural light. Each phase of the farewell ceremony is dedicated to a different room and will therefore get their own spatial experience and remembrance."

Project details and credits:

Team
Architecture: Laura Alvarez, Freyke Hartemink, Jarrik Ouburg, Luuc Sonke 
Landscape architecture: Vista landschapsarchitectuur en stedenbouw 
Sustainability and climate design: dGmR 
Structural engineer: Pieters Bouwtechniek 
Cost Calculations and local partner: Bureau Bouwtechniek, BE 

Area: 1.734 m2 
Budget: 2.970.000 Eur. 
Date: 2014 
Status: Restricted competition, second prize

Images courtesy of Alvarez Ouburg Architects.

Click the thumbnails below to see more project images.