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Altcar Crematorium

Part 2 Project 2009
Paul Carr
Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool | UK

The original concept for a new crematorium in Altcar stemmed from the design of an eco-town on the Sefton coast along the Formby dunes and the old MOD rifle range.

Over half the area of Sefton is agricultural land, a high proportion of which has a very high capacity, yielding high-value horticultural crops. Though not a major employer, the agricultural economy is an efficient, high output local industry, which is at risk from urban encroachment. It is proposed to locate a new eco-town on this coast yet still ensure that this agricultural sector of the economy remains diverse and vibrant, and that its current role as a steward of the countryside is encouraged. At the centre of the new town we propose a circular zone of technology driven intensive farming. This agricultural heart gives the town a single identity. With a large vertical farm and market at its center, acting as a beacon as well as be highly functional, bringing a sense of pride to the town.

The concept of the edge of the town drives the narrative of the crematorium. The town by its location on the Sefton coast creates a sense of gateway to the Formby beach. As with the location of old burial grounds, it is a liminal piece of land on the edge of town where the transition from the realm of the living to the realm of the dead can be perceived. The journey to the site becomes a long structured route, built into the landscape, through the center of the town, where people may experience different spaces of the farm, the town and dunes while moving. The crematorium half buried within the dunes, becomes a location where one can shelter and experience the true wildness of this unique landscape while mourning the passing of a loved one.

Paul Carr

Tutor(s)
Prof Doug Clelland
2009
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