Burn to Born
浴火而生
Tower rising from wheat field at sunset (1/10)
Tower in a green meadow (2/10)
Arched entrance walkway alongside wheat field (3/10)
Farewell hall with tiered seating and horizontal windows (4/10)
Curved interior of the farewell hall (5/10)
Narrow stairway with slit lighting (6/10)
Interior with curved brick partition walls (7/10)
Columbarium corridor with perforated walls and oculus (8/10)
Vertical light slot between brick walls (9/10)
Perforated brick screen wall detail (10/10)
My design envisions a rural funeral hall inspired by the structure of seeds — a symbol of life and renewal. The façade elements evoke the texture of ash, reminiscent of the residue from burning. In rural areas, the stubble left after harvest is often burned to enrich the soil, preparing it for the next season's growth. This cycle of burning and rebirth mirrors the rhythm of life and death: death becomes the seed for new beginnings. Thus, the funeral hall integrates the motifs of burning and seeds, invoking the connection that rural people feel with the land and the circle of life.
The building provides spaces for cremation, ceremonial gatherings, and the storage of ashes. Visitors first descend into a sunken memorial space, then ascend through a spiraling path to the columbarium. This descending and ascending flow reflects traditional Chinese beliefs about life and death, where the deceased return to the earth before their spirits ascend to the heavens.
