Postmodern crematoria in the Netherlands: a search for a final sense of place

ABSTRACT

Since 2002, cremation has been the dominant form of bodily disposal in the Netherlands. Consequently, people are increasingly using crematoria as places to say farewell to their loved ones. However, in contemporary society, with its growing demand for more personalised death rites, many crematoria have been criticised for being technical ‘non-places’ rather than symbolic ones permitting emotional fulfilment. We selected recently-built crematoria in Haarlem, Leusden and Zoetermeer to examine whether they display new postmodern design principles. Although the architects of these crematoria had to incorporate modern principles, in particular for the functional aspects of the buildings, they clearly also invested in their symbolic function. The crematoria are designed as uplifting places to celebrate the life lived in a meaningful and bright environment, and to finalise the ritual procession in the crematory area.

Keywords:

• crematoria
• architecture
• landscape
• ritual
• death

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mirjam Klaassens

Mirjam Klaassens received a PhD based on her doctoral thesis ‘Final Places: Geographies of death and remembrance in the Netherlands’. She is currently a post-doctoral researcher at the Population Research Centre, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, of the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

Peter D. Groote

Peter Groote is an assistant professor at the Department of Cultural Geography, Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands.