A GARDEN TO HONOR THE DEPARTED
The landscape design of Crematorium Zaanstad began by bringing to life the hidden beauty of the existing garden, shaped by the site’s diverse physical features. This naturally led us to create a series of distinctive gardens, rather than adhering to a single style.
CONTEXTUAL GARDEN DESIGN
Each element is carefully designed in response to the garden’s unique context. The ZEN PATH complements the narrow, shaded areas, while the HOLY PATIO makes the most of a sunny, spacious location with its dynamic slope. FLOWER CORNER enhances the floral beauty of the existing Japanese cherry tree, and the RED PATIO harmonizes with the compact patio space, celebrating the vibrant red autumn leaves of the Japanese maple.
FOR ALL SEASONS
The garden’s beauty shifts throughout the year, circulating around the crematorium, thanks to its diverse garden areas and rich variety of vegetation. Like a traditional Japanese garden, the abundance of evergreen plants ensures a serene, pleasing landscape even in winter.
SUSTAINING THROUGH PRESERVATION AND REUSE
Sustainability is achieved through two key strategies. First, by preserving and repurposing the existing vegetation, which is both cost-effective and respectful of the site’s natural context. Second, by reusing and rearranging existing materials, such as stone pebbles, boulders, and concrete slabs.
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION OF INTERIOR GREENERY
For indoor greenery, we adopted a more intentional approach. Instead of the typical method of scattering individual potted plants, we integrated greenery into the architecture. Plants were incorporated into the furniture or used as natural partitions, creating a cohesive and thoughtful arrangement within the space.
