The Quarry and the Tumulus - Gardens of remebrance in Oslomarka

The Quarry and the Tumulus is the transformation of a quarry located in the Oslo forest, that through decades of excavations have produced a large scale, dramatic and artificial landscape. Taking the concept and program of a cemetery as a point of the departure for the design, the project is forcing the reimagination of what a cemetery is and what functions it could have in the future.
With the lack of burial space in Oslo, there is a need to think differently. Huken quarry is, after being shut down, one of many large, available spaces in the city. However, due to the way cemeteries function and are designed today, where the coffin or urn needs to be buried in soils, a quarry would not be considered as a useable space. Using the site itself as the basis for the design, the goal of the project has been to offer different experiences for the family of the deceased, but also a space that could be meaningful for those just passing by, playing with elements like views, water, light and shadow. With a lack of soils, the site selection forced the introduction of a new burial method- natural organic reduction. Using traditional agricultural techniques, the process transforms the body of the deceased to fertile soils. The quarry site and the cemetery program create a new ecosystem, where the program of a cemetery become the factor bringing the quarry back to life.