Aufbahrungshalle Kirchham

Body and mind, mortal shell and immortal soul – the interplay of heaviness and lightness. Two entities confront each other: the massive, concrete-heavy cube, the “shrine” bearing the weight of death and the notches of life, engages in a dialogue with the floating, light-filled wing, symbolizing the transition into another, spiritualized condition.

The facade design features the concrete gray plastered basic shape of the cube, complemented by vertical visible formwork elements, and the covering of the wing with raw white fiber cement large format panels. The wing, both closed and open to the south, boasts a post-transom glass facade spanning the main portal, the “gate.” This design principle extends to the interior spaces. Alongside the necessary operational areas, two rooms engage in dialogue. The cubic burial space, with its stamped concrete wall defining the room as a symbol of the “earthen,” offers the chance for an individual farewell on the day before the burial, illuminated by a solitary glimmer of light from above. In contrast, the blessing room, bathed in light and undefined in its boundaries, provides a dignified setting for blessing or farewell ceremonies. Inside and outside, earth and air merge, ensuring that the memory of a loved one endures.