Master thesis TRUMPELDOR CEMETERY ADDITION Bergen School of Architecture, Spring 2014
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Master thesis TRUMPELDOR CEMETERY ADDITION Year Place Students Tutors
Spring 2014 Tel Aviv, Israel Almudena Ruiz-Giménez Úbeda, Nadav Kochavi Andre Fontes, Thomas Wiesner
THE SITE
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Street view illustrating the duality of the supporting
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1.0 INTRODUCTION A revival to an existing cemetery located in the heart of Tel-Aviv, Israel. Cemeteries distill their cultures. They are a kind of museum, which embeds both people and their stories into parcels of land. In contrast to the characteristically chaotic environments of conurbations, they exist where silence and peace prevail. During recent decades Israeli cemeteries have been constructed on the outskirts of cities, often adjacent to industrial sites. They have suffered from poor architectural qualities due to limited planning and poor attention to detail. Slowly these cemeteries have become sequestered from the people. Yet in response to current Israeli concerns regarding land shortage and population growth, a new type of cemetery is being build, encompassing transitions from field burial to stacked burial; this highlight a pivotal moment where old customs face modern concerns with sustainability. Because zoning restrictions limit the size of cemeteries and use of the land around them, conventional (field) burial over the course of one lifetime (75 years) would require approximately half the area of the city. In just one lifetime, there would be no more room for the living in Tel Aviv. Space shortages in countries around the world are raising an overwhelming question: where to lay dead bodies to rest. Many countries are in the same position. Death and burial is fraught with tradition and meaning, and “transforming� those rites of passage is easier said than done. Above all, the idea is to maintain a person’s dignity in death. A monopoly run by Hevra-kadisha (Organization) is in control of 90% of all cemeteries and burial procedures in the country. The diploma project sets out to expose the monopoly and reveal that it is not in its best interest to create high quality cemeteries for the community.
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In reality it feeds-off, lack in burial space which is being exploited to make large sums of money. The monopoly is thriving due to the fact that 80% of the population obey to some degree religious rules (in our case regarding burial procedures and typologies) therefore any opposition to current typologies must address issues of local traditions in order to be critically relevant. Creating new mutations of current typologies allow us to propose novelties that will increase number of graves per area (protecting untouched land) and to keep cemeteries closer to cities ( as opposed to current trend to push them as far as possible in the form of mega structures). We believe that this act will free people to see the greedy nature of the monopoly, and to be open minded towards a new vision for local mortuary rites more responsible from economical, social and environmental perspectives.
We believe that the project outcomes will be relevant (to a degree) in different contexts, in Israel and abroad, as several issues investigated by the diploma are universal and urgent.
1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................4-5 2.0 WHY A CEMETERY ..................................................................................6-9 3.0 WHY TRUMPELDOR CEMETERY ......................................................10-11 4.0 THE RULES.............................................................................................12-13 5.0 THE PROPOSAL ...................................................................................14-25 6.0 FINDINGS................................................................................................26-27 7.0 EXHIBITION PHOTOS............................................................................28-33 5
2.0 WHY A CEMETERY - quantitative and architectural perspectives TODAY REALITY IS FORMED BY UNSUSTAINABLE SET OF VARIABLES; LISTED BELLOW Increase shortage of space + Graves in the context exist forever + Graves in the context can not be reused + Cremation in the context is not an option =
Unsustainable/impossible trajectory
The following diagram illustrates the needed spaces for burial purposes for the population living in the Central area of Israel following field burial regulations. In 50 years an area equal to the city of Tel Aviv must be profiled as cemeteries.
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- 300,000m2 of cemetery space, total 7,800,000m2
New cemeteries in Israel are being built
LACK IN ARCHITECTURAL QUALITIES (THE CATALYST)
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2.1 WHY A CEMETERY - a social analysis
Democratizing burial practices, both from physical perspective (accessibility) and from economical perspective by resisting the monopoly over cemeteries in the country.
OPPOSITION
Over the next few weeks you information campaign on televis Internet. This campaign was cre the public that multi-level bu law and does not degrade the internalized this possibility, wh innovative and unacceptable,” s we will prove t
The campaign against multi-level burials has been unrelenting in recent months, after the Ministry of Religious Services embarked on its campaign to endorse multi-level burials. Protest posters against “the edict that is spreading to every city” were distributed in major Orthodox neighborhoods. Some Orthodox authorities have prohibited multi-level burial, saying it isn’t considered burial.
Liel, Dafne. “Millions for the promotion of a building permit in Jerusalem.” Mako News. (2013): n. Page. Web. 4 Mar. 2014
Time frame where the cemetery become very profitable
$ 90 M
Haimovich, Mordecai. “Do you like your neighbors .” Maariv 6 Dec. 2013: 38-41. Print.
$$$
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$ 200K
Fig 1. The graph shows the increase in burial prices at Trumpeldor cemetery with relation to the decrease in burial plots. As of today there are 9 graves left in the cemetery. The most recent person to be buried in the cemetery purchased the plot for $30,000. In accordance with the economic theory of supply and demand, it is possible to project that the last grave will cost around 90 million $.
$ 30K
y= e^x
PRICE ($) PRICE ($)
MONOPOLY
4992 GRAVE PLOT GRAVE PLOT
4996
5000
The organization Hevra-Kadisha takes advantage of the situation accumulating significant amounts of cash specifically from little field burial possibilities. The organization (ruled by the Orthodox Jews) has taken care of mortuary procedures since the 18th century. Today, there is little if any supervision by higher-ranking authorities within the Israeli government regarding the decisions made by Hevra Hevra-kadisha.
u will be exposed to a public sion, radio, newspapers and the eated in an attempt to convince urial is permitted by religious e dead. “People still have not hich is perceived as something said CEO Ohana, “this campaign the opposite.”
THE C IT Y
Bareket Quarry, Ganei-Ad wining proposal by Ponger-Sagiv Architects.
DIST ANC DIS TAN C
E
ApEpr ov locat ed prop osa ed an 1 hou l for a n ew r driv e fro mega ce m th e city metery cent er
CONDITIONS: Increase in space shortage Population growth (2059-15.6 million people)
“TH BE E PLA E TH N CO NNIN E ISR PR NSID G OF AE OFE ER L” SSI ED CEME ON A L TE OF EGIT RIES I AR MAT HAS CH ITE E PAR NOT CTU T O RE F IN
Almost all cemeteries in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area are full
ECONOMY 1,700$ - Monthly median income (2012)
Trumpeldor cemetery plot (closed cemetery) $30,000 Hulon cemetery plot (closed cemetery) $7,000 Average Field Burial $2,500 Burial in multi level structure $1,700 Second burial in a spouse grave $290 Krystal, Meirav. “”Death is expensive”.” Consumer. (2009): n. Page. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.
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3.0 WHY “TRUMPELDOR CEMETERY”
1. IT IS LOCATED IN A VERY DENSE URBAN ENVIRONMENT
The hectic city around it and the dense constructed environment make it very difficult to expand, this obstacle was developed towards a vertical expression.
By acting in the most complicated cemetery in the country we believe to make a statement: If change is possible where change isn’t even considered, a change in all cemeteries is possible. This makes the proposal a strategy rather than just a singular intervention. 10
2. IT IS A TYPE OF A MUSEUM FOR HISTORICAL FIGURES
3. IT IS ”CLOSED/FULL” THUS SERVE OUR GOAL TO “OPEN” IT
4. IT IS A SYMBOL IN THE CITY
Buried in Trumpeldor are some of the most important figures of the society. This attracts large
The cemetery is profiled as a “closed” cemetery since 1932. Since then, only there has been an average of one burial a year.
Tel Aviv was born with the cemetery. As the city evolves around it, the cemetery remains a memento for where the city came from, the journey it narrate, and a reminder that mourning is part of the makeup of identity.
numbers of visitors every day.
Trumpeldor cemetery
1910
Tel Aviv city
1980 11
4.0 THE RULES _Grave dimension must be at least: 2.00m X 0.50m X 0.40m. _The graves are arranged in rows. _There must be a connection between the grave and the ground soil _Jewish law requires a distance of six handbreadths (6 to 10 centimetre) between graves. If necessary, one body may be buried on top of another, if there is a separating layer of earth the depth of six handbreadths. _The body is to be buried without a coffin or one with holes. _A land profiled as a graveyard must remain so for 999 years, Indicating that Trumpeldor cemetery will remain as is until 2901. _An ancient custom was to leave cemeteries unadorned by trees and plants. However, beautifying cemeteries with trees and plants is now a widespread practice among Jews. _Traditionally, a building was erected at the cemetery to serve as a chapel and sometimes also as a place to prepare the body for burial. _A wall or fence surrounds the cemetery. _Cremation although possible, is not considered an alternative. _ Graves in Judaism exist forever. More accurately, until the arrival of the Messiah. During this time bodies can not be moved and graves cannot be reused.
Although the rules appear firm, further analysis in the chosen context reveal that they are often manipulated and broken. 12
Any opposition to current typologies must address issues of local traditions in order to be critically relevant. The project proposal introduces a way to approach the shortage of space and the negative social implications of erecting cemeteries far from populated areas. The rules are embraced and form the framework of the proposal.
Interpretation
EXAMPLE Graves are arranged in rows
rule
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5.0 THE PROPOSAL
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Ground level view highlighting the new composition established
The
Pedestrian
Pedestrian avenues provide leisure routes in the city
The city has several pockets of gardens and greenery 16
gar
den
sof
ten
the
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street crea ted by the cemetery
tion
fro
wall
mt
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city
to
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The project is a microcosms to the city around it.
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18 Model proposal 1:200
Communion
View point
Ceremony space
West entrance/towards PROLOGUE BODY Circulation
Courtyard A
a city artery
corridors
CHAPTERS Graves + SUB-HEADERS EPILOGUE Compound
area: handling and ceremony spaces
Courtyard C Courtyard B
Organized area
Levels of intimacy
3,5m
Chaotic area 12
40m
0m
22,6m
5,4m
168m
Support system Distances
29,1
m
Accesses points to the cemetery
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A new layer to the cemetery
Proposed beam system
Maintained connection to soil With accordance to the tradition the return to the earth is supported by the pillars. Thus the pillar become a symbolic element to one of the most significant ideas about death as a the phase of return to the soil.
Existing ground level
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Pillar/beam longitudinal section 1:100
Pillar/beam Transversal section 1:100
Meeting point beam/pillar-return of soil to the earth
Plan beam 1:50
Under the beams_model picture
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View from on top of the walls
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Second level 1:5000
First level 1:5000
Ground level plan 1:1000 24
West entrance
Transversal section
West elevation
Longitudinal section
Front elevation
East entrance
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6.0 FINDINGS new space and spaces
140% Inc cemetery ≈ 1500
Trumpeldor cemetery is an atypical public space, it is both metaphorically and physically accessible and inaccessible. It has an important social role in the society at nurturing identity and preserving memories and history. Today there is a disconnect between the city and the cemetery. Reestablishing the role of the cemetery in the city stimulate several advantages components that work in a more sustainable coexistence, a remaining that the cemetery is an integral part of the social environment. Much can be done in the cemetery, making it more socially sustainable. The project expand where land is already used rather than taking more green field land.
1,650,00 Total cemete
Trumpeldor
Acting in Trumpeldor cemetery give confidence that change is possible in all cemeteries thus creating a strategy rather than just a singular intervention.
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crease in y space graves
00m2 eries area
The project proposal illustrate that it is possible to gain 1,320,000m2 of cemetery space above existing cemeteries. Estimated 500,000 graves, equal to 60 years without exploiting additional land!
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7.0 EXHIBITION PHOTOS
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Hanging tree_1:1 detail
Concept model_present/future layers
Exhibition space 29
Entrance detail
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East entrace 1:100 exploded model
Process models
West entrace 1:100 model 31
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Exhibition space
Model picture_Inside of the wall 33