Designing spaces for both dead and living

Architecture competition sees funeral facilities incorporated into everyday spaces

National University of Singapore architecture undergraduate John Kevin Chandra (in white), explaining his design that won the first prize in the Land For The Living - Space For The Dead design challenge yesterday. His design featured a proposed colum
National University of Singapore architecture undergraduate John Kevin Chandra (in white), explaining his design that won the first prize in the Land For The Living - Space For The Dead design challenge yesterday. His design featured a proposed columbarium built inside Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
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Picture cafes, a flower market and event spaces, all housed around columbaria with modern exteriors on grounds that are open to the public - even those not there to attend a funeral.

Architecture students incorporated these ideas into 52 designs of funeral facilities for a competition organised by the Ang Chin Moh Foundation and the National University of Singapore's Department of Architecture.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 13, 2018, with the headline Designing spaces for both dead and living. Subscribe