When it comes to designing sacred spaces, the challenge is often how to create a place that honors the past while also serving the present and future needs of a community. This delicate balance is beautifully achieved in the St Thomas More Columbarium, a recent addition to the St Thomas More Bateman Parish Catholic Church grounds in Western Australia.
The project, designed by Simon Pendal Architect, is a testament to the power of thoughtful architecture. It's a space that invites reflection, not just on the lives of those whose ashes are interred here, but also on the very nature of memory, community, and our connection to the natural world.
A Place of Rest and Reflection
The brief for the columbarium was straightforward: to create a peaceful place for the interment of ashes, offering a space for quiet contemplation and prayer. But as anyone who has designed a sacred space knows, simplicity can be deceptive. How do you create a place that feels both intimate and communal, that honors the individual while also serving the collective?
Pendal's solution is a trio of stone "towers" that form a porous enclosure, reminiscent of an ancient ruin or walled garden. This arrangement, while appearing effortless, is a careful composition that echoes the monastic planning of the parish's foundation buildings, designed by Iris Rossen in 1986. The towers adjust to form a pinwheel, offering private entries and a sense of intimacy, while the central brick terrace provides a collective space for gathering and reflection.
A Language of Stone and Light
The architectural language of the columbarium is one of beautiful crudeness. The towers, made predominantly of local limestone with a struck-flush joint, echo the soft golden brickwork of the church. Their austerity and almost cubic figures recall other sacred spaces, like the Church of Santa Maria in Portugal and the ossuary at the San Cataldo Cemetery in Italy. The subtle ledge applied to the cross-section of the walls, at a height relational to a human figure, ties the towers together visually, while also evoking the bird ledges of dovecotes, a nod to the Latin origin of the word "columbarium."
The interior of each tower is a carefully controlled geometry. A square plan is hollowed out by an octagonal volume, open to the sky, symbolizing the new creation and eternal life. A single piece of furniture, a stool made from spotted gum, invites visitors to sit and linger, its pentagonal shape referencing the five wounds of Christ. The internal walls, a matrix of small funerary-urn niches, express a social and non-hierarchical interment, with unadorned surfaces that capture the sunlight and sky above.
A Dialogue with Nature
The contrast between the dark, cool interior of the towers and the enclosed garden beyond is a powerful one. The peppermint and almond trees moderate the harsh Western Australian sunlight, casting their fine branch forms onto the monumental walls of the towers. This dialogue between the raw and the refined, between death and life, is a constant reminder of the cycle of existence and the enduring power of nature.
A Careful Evaluation of Place
In a profession that often involves adapting existing sites, the condition of "tabula plena" prompts a careful evaluation of what already exists. A study of locus, the urban rhythm, cultural tradition, and spatial memory, offers insights into patterns of occupancy at various scales. It's a reminder that architecture is not just about buildings, but about the people who use them and the communities they serve.
The St Thomas More Columbarium is a moving example of this approach. It's a space that honors the past while also serving the present and future needs of the parish community. It's a place where the critical work of architects, who practice with care for people and place, is both reassuring and inspiring.
In my opinion, this project is a beautiful example of how architecture can enhance our lives, offering a space for reflection, memory, and connection. It's a place that invites us to slow down, to contemplate our place in the world, and to find solace in the beauty of nature and the enduring power of community.
