Year: 2018
Client: Dignity plc
Winner of Worcestershire Architecture Award 2018

The Practice was appointed by Dignity Caring Funeral Services to design a new crematorium near Aston-on-Trent in South Derbyshire.

Located in open Green Belt countryside the building has been designed to minimise visual and environmental impact adopting a simple horizontal design idiom with large over-sailing roofs that offer both shelter and a place for those attending a service to gather when arriving and departing.

The use of slatted cedar boarding to the underside of the roof and ceilings creates a warm and unifying character to the design and helps address acoustic requirements within the building.

Freestanding stone filled gabion walls are used to define external spaces around the building creating visual separation between the arrival and departure areas and providing a degree of shelter from the wind on this exposed site.

Water forms a key element within the design and provides a tranquil setting for the pedestrian routes to and from the main car park.

A small satellite building provides an enclosed space for mourners in inclement weather together with toilet facilities. This forms an important element within the architectural composition providing a gateway to the main arrival space from the car park.

A glass and timber louvred dividing screen between the lobby and chapel allows views to be controlled between the two spaces. The end wall to the chapel is glazed allowing views into a small landscaped courtyard beyond.

A simple palette of materials has been adopted using stone, render, cedar boarding and zinc.

photo credits Dignity, Graham Oakes / David Ramm Photography