Landscape architect Fletcher Studio has created a memorial forest in California as an alternative to standard cemeteries with an entrance pavilion designed in collaboration with OpenScope Studio.
The studios designed the 40-acre forested park to the north of San Francisco for the Better Place Forests organisation, which creates alternatives to cemeteries where families can sprinkle ashes on a dedicated tree.
As such, they aimed to create an atmosphere appropriate for the emotional journeys that will take place within the woodland.
The memorial forest was designed for the Better Place Forests organisation
"We set out to design in a way that universally celebrates life, an individual's life and the life of the forest," explained Fletcher Studio founder David Fletcher. "All of the human-made elements, from the visitors centre and memorial to the signage, pathways and tree markers, frame an immersive experience and a connection with the landscape, with loved ones, and with the sublime inherent in this place," he told Dezeen.
Its entrance pavilion is made from Redwood and wrapped in Corten
The major architectural intervention on the site is the memorial forest's entrance building, which is located a short walk from the car park.
Constructed from Redwood and wrapped in Corten steel, the pavilion is designed to be the start of visitors' journey through the park.
The pavilion has a balcony overlooking the forest
"Within this journey, the visitor's cent...