Mount Auburn Cemetery - Bigelow Chapel and New Crematory

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Consecrated in 1831 and\ndesignated a National Historic Landmark in 2003, Mount Auburn Cemetery in\nCambridge, Massachusetts, stands as one of the most important and complex\nlandscapes in the United States. In addition to being an active cemetery, its\nfunctions as a public green space, botanical garden, and outdoor museum of\nfunerary art. This project has transformed Bigelow Chapel, the historic first\nbuilding constructed on the cemetery grounds, into a space for public programs\nfor the first time in decades. A carefully placed addition also supports a new\ncrematory that serves a wide range of families and religious groups, reflective\nof Mount Auburn\u2019s forward-thinking approach to end-of-life services. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Originally built in 1845 as\na response to the cemetery\u2019s growing popularity, Bigelow Chapel was repurposed\nas a crematory chapel in 1899 during a time when cremation was a nascent\npractice in conservative New England. In recent decades, disrepair and a lack\nof ADA access had rendered the building largely unusable, but the renovation\nhas restored the chapel to the original vision of the cemetery\u2019s founders as a\nmultifunctional space with unencumbered access. To achieve that, the team\nlowered the raised alter that was added in the 1920s to its original position\nand carefully tucked lighting into the ceiling arches. The chapel\u2019s grand rose\nwindow was painstakingly restored by a local stained glass specialist,\ntransforming the once-dark space with colorful light. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The glass-walled addition\nto the chapel was informed by the Boston area\u2019s Hindu and Buddhist communities,\nfor whom participatory cremation is an integral part of the grieving process. Before\nthis project, the region had no such setting to support those communities. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The addition is organized\nas a procession that begins with expansive views of the cemetery upon entrance\nand progression to the gathering room. After moving into the viewing room,\nwhere cremation commitment ceremonies are held, the space becomes much more\ncontemplative, and views are directed toward an internal garden housed between\nthe addition and the historic chapel. After ceremonies, large doors open onto\nthe gathering room, and, in an affirmation of life, participants are once again\ngreeted with panoramic views of the landscape. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Since the project was\ncompleted, the cemetery has supported a range of diverse religious groups in\nways not previously possible. The number of cremation and commitment viewings\nhas increased exponentially, and they have all been enhanced by the new\nfacility. Bigelow Chapel now sees much more use, hosting everything from\nfuneral services to yoga and meditation sessions. Because of the simple yet\nflexible design with a strong connection to the landscape, the building can\neasily accommodate these new uses. "]]]]}