Ascension
A Funeral Home
A Home in the Sky - As a celebration of the deceased's life and his transition to the heavenly god, the building aims to highlight this ascension. The tower stands tall to dignify the souls of the departed and celebrate the process of death. As the nation develops, the tower becomes a mark to commemorate those in the industry as well as the departed, as oppose to hiding and shunning them away from civilization. This idea that death is unclean is challenged and reinvented. Death now lives elegantly and majestically amongst mother nature and close to their loved ones.
w h e r e | Bishan - Ang Mo Kio Park, Singapore
w h a t | Funeral Home
+ + Design Competition Finalist
A Home in the Sky
The design challenges a popular statement - " Not in my backyard "
It challanges Singapore's long established way of designing funeral services. We hide funeral homes and columbariums by tucking them underground or isolating them in less imageable areas. They become non-exsistent if you cannot see them. The setting of the brief at Bishan Ang Mo Kio Park gives the design great potential to establish a statement to challenge our taboo of death. The tower provides an alternative funeral home and columbarium that rests high among the sky instead or burried bellow the earth. It stands tall in celebration of death for everyone to see.
Columbarium
The columbarium sits at the top as the body ascends to the highest point of the tower. The dead now rest in a home in the sky, amongst the fauna and life within it. The feeling of lightness is achieved while being high up amongst the windy skies and away from the groundedness of daily life, thus helping those who mourn.
Sky Garden
Users can enjoy the scenic view of Bishan’s landscape at the sky garden and floating prayer balconies around the columbarium. They serve as breathing spaces for those who mourn by giving a space filled with life. Loved ones can reminisce with the departed while enjoying the scenic landscape
Funeral Hall
The tower mimics a funeral hall in the sky, allowing it to achieve a beautiful backdrop of the Bishan’s landscape, the city skyline and the tower’s green facade and planters.
A Sanctuary for the Living and Dead
Collumbarium Green Atrium
A tunneling view of the columbarium and green atrium presents itself when users ascend up the tower in lifts, experiencing a place where life and death meet.
Sky Observation Deck
The tower now provides a new view of Bishan Park as well as overlooks towards Lower Pierce Reservoir.
River Obserbation Deck
Users can admire and be educated the biodiversity and life within the river, during different weather conditions and water levels, thus experiencing an unattainable view of the Kallang River
"Land for the Living - Space for the Dead"
NUS Students' Design Competition
Finalist (Top 10)
Drawings
Sectiom A-A'
Section B-B'
Section C-C'
Detailing
Steel Frame Construction
