Halloween may have come and gone, but Wallpaper recently featured “Cemeteries of the Century." These ultimate resting places take the idea of “a thing of beauty that lasts forever†to a new height. The illuminated columns at an installation in Berlin are reminiscent of Karnak and the white carrera marble and limestone structure at San Remo are architecturally beautiful.
David Chipperfield is currently redesigning The Cemetery Island in Venice, Italy.
Implications - Society has always had a difficult time dealing with the concept of death. By associating graveyards with impressive architectural designs, consumers are better able to cope with death as it takes something unnerving and mixes it with something the public is much more comfortable with. Corporations looking to address uncomfortable ideas with their customers can similarly alleviate tension by associating the ideas with much more comfortable topics.
Graveyards as Architectural Masterpieces
Cemeteries of the Century
Trend Themes
1. Architectural Cemeteries - There is a trend towards creating cemeteries that are architecturally stunning, turning graveyards into works of art.
2. Coping with Death - Society is embracing the idea of associating impressive architectural designs with graveyards to help people better cope with the concept of death.
3. Comfortable Associations - By linking uncomfortable ideas, like death, with more comfortable topics, companies can help alleviate tension and connect with their customers on a deeper level.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - The architectural industry can capitalize on the trend of creating visually stunning cemeteries by incorporating innovative designs and materials.
2. Funeral Services - Funeral service providers can embrace the trend of architecturally beautiful cemeteries to offer unique and memorable final resting places for their clients.
3. Marketing and Branding - In the marketing and branding industry, companies can learn from the comfortable associations made with architectural graveyards to address sensitive or uncomfortable topics in a more approachable way.