ENGAGING LANDSCAPE: Skogskyrkogarden

Whilst in Sweden, we took a trip to Skogskyrkogarden, a now world renowned site for its unique architecture and sensitive approach to the landscape. The site was designed by Gunnar Asplund and Sigurd Lewerentz who won the competition to design the cemetery in 1915. They began looking closely at the existing contours and elements of the site, focusing on designing for the visitor’s experience, in which this case is usually to mourn. They designed routes that lead throughout the site and connect the chapels that specifically are intentioned to create appropriate mood’s.

The inspiration to create a different experience of cemeteries and mourning evolved from the characterless, ‘strict’ style of previous cemeteries. A desire grew to create a cemetery centred on the the landscape that holds it.

The landscape design has been influenced by the spirit of the decade, a distinct romantic, Swedish approach with rolling hills and open space, this has created very clear edges within the cemetery which in turn have created an informed, purposeful landscape. Certain information has been sourced from http://www.skogskyrkogarden.se/en/general/index.php

A viewing window into an inner garden, vista's and sightlines throughout the whole cemetery have been formally created to provoke feelings

I found the attention to detail throughout Skogskyrkogarden captivating, this handrail for example has been finished to a very high quality, however simple in its design, you can see hours of thought and consideration have been spent on such small things. A straight steel blade with a t-section for structural strength is all that has been required, the legs tuck up neatly under the rail edge and the maroon red gives the handrail a high quality aesthetic. Simple in finish, such details succesfully do not distract from the larger landscape, they improve its ability to focus the visitor on the current emotions.