Crematorium with room for the living

In a Danish setting it is rather unique for a crematorium, to have included a room, where the relatives have the opportunity to watch the casket with their loved one be gently pushed into the oven. For some, this gives a feeling of much needed closure.
The focus on sustainability is neither unique nor exceptional, but it is the first crematorium in Denmark, to be designed with this degree of integrated, environmental friendly solutions.

The combination of a very technical workplace and grieving relatives was not an easy task.
Furthermore, as a sign of respect for the deceased, the building sholud have a very dignified appearance, wich again was in contrast to the strict, technical requirements.
A final challenge was, that the owner wanted a green profile, with integrated solar panels, to cover as much of the buildings energy use as possible.

The large roof is entirely covered with solar panels, creating enough green energy to cover almost all of the crematoriums substantial electricity use.
Furthermore, the ovens are powered by biofuel, reducing the CO2 emission with aprox. 80 % compared with regular fuel. This is combined with the fact, that the crematorium is able to reuse 1/3 of the energy from the ovens, which is then put in to the distant heating system, providing heating for the homes in the city of Aabenraa.

To design a modern crematorium, that on the one hand is an efficient workplace, and on the other hand creates a space for the relatives of the deceased to send their loved ones off on their final jouney.
The crematorium is situated on a very visible site, in the conor of the cemetery, so it should have a very dignified, aesthetic appearance.

Both the oven room and the technical room require a substantial ceiling height, due to the volume of the equipment and installations. By placing these rooms to the north, and the remaining rooms, with normal ceiling requirements, such as office, storage, workshop and the room for the grieving relatives, to the south, and then putting them all under the same, sloping roof, it was possible to achieve a human scale towards the entrance from the south. A long, covered colonnade, towards the southern entrance, gives the crematorium a more welcoming appearance, as well as providing sunshade for the south facing rooms.
It was important, that this final journey for the deceased, and the last goodbye from the relatives, would be given as dignified a setting as possible. To achieve this dignity, there has been given a lot of focus on materials and details. The intentionally simple building structure is refined by the use of a rich, dark brown brick type, that gives the building a solid, formal look. A pattern of slightly extruded crosses further add to the refinement of the building.
The interior walls are also brick clad, but using a light brown variant. The ceilings, internally as well as externally are clad with oak wood sticks and integrated light fixtures. The floors in the room for the relatives are oak wood as well.
The ovens a clad with dark steel, giving them a fitting, somber look.
The chimney, an inevitable part of a crematorium, is integrated as a sculptural finish in the buildings northeast corner. The chimney appears as a natural part of the building, and not just a vertical add on.
The large, south sloping roof, had the inbuilt possibility to cover the entire roof with solar panels, and thereby creating enough green energy to cover almost the entire electricity consumption of the crematorium.