Architecture & Death

This studio will focus on the many ways in which architecture contributes to culturally defined notions about death. From rituals of mourning and remembrance to the mortuary practices of cremation and interment, the spatial and material practices associated with death give form to our abstract conceptions of what it is. As recent world events (pandemic, increased gun violence, war, etc.) amplify our awareness of the fragility of life, many find themselves in need of new ways to cope with loss, both personally and collectively. For some, the contemplative sites of death need to become more visible and public while, for others, they are better left hidden away. Regardless of any one outlook, death is an inevitable feature of life worthy of deep architectural speculation.