CEMETERY WITH A DIFFERENCE
18 Dec 2018
A memorial park in Brazil is a lush landscape of green spaces and shared places that encourage visitors to linger and reflect while finding solace during the many stages of mourning.
Crisa Santos Arquitetos has completed a memorial park for a cemetery in Brazil. Located at Jardim Angela in southwest São Paulo, Memorial Parque Das Cerejeiras (Cherry Park Memorial) totals an area of 300,000sqm (74 acres). The project involved the landscaping of the site, as well as the design and construction of the park’s architectural structures. 
“The objective of this project was to recreate a space of well-being and communion, combined with the need for a green area in the region,” explains Crisa Santos.
“We wanted it to be pleasant and contemplative, offering visitors solace during difficult times and forming a comforting relationship with the architecture and design objects.” 
Memorial Parque Das Cerejeiras a plaza defined by curved steel plates that serve as a chronological metaphor of life; a wooden observation deck oriented towards the adjacent reservoir and the sunsets beyond; an angular orchidarium with a vertical rainwater harvesting system; a timber chapel punctured with square windows; and public areas with a variety of benches, tables, and sculptures. 
Even the entrance itself is filled with symbolism, with a parametric wooden structure that soars towards the heavens. Visitors are free to enter and leave the site at all hours of the day. The cemetery has been designed to be as welcoming as possible, providing a range of environments where people can contemplate individually or congregate in groups. 
