Funerary Lives

Funerary Lives: Ecological Transitions and Support for Emerging Practices

Supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation through the National Research Program “Building Culture” (NRP 81), the “Funerary Lives” research project focuses on the transformation of funeral practices in Switzerland, highlighting their ecological and social impact.

At present, practices related to death and funeral spaces are little studied and only partially linked to spatial planning policies and climate plans. This raises a number of crucial issues concerning the integration of cemeteries into ecological continuity, the potential of these spaces to encourage urban greening, their adaptation to climate change, and the diversification of funeral practices beyond the traditional options of burial and cremation.

In addition, the project examines how funerary spaces can contribute to the development of urban park systems. To achieve its objectives, the project has set itself three main lines of research.

The first is to take stock of the needs, issues and obstacles associated with the introduction of new funeral practices. This includes an analysis of the legal, social, cultural, technical, political, economic and even religious challenges facing the professionals and authorities responsible for managing funeral spaces.

The second area aims to support the social and ecological transition by designing these spaces. This involves comparing different visions and scenarios for transforming urban territorial continuities, parks, cemeteries, and other funerary spaces, in collaboration with a multitude of players such as funeral services, cemetery and crematorium managers, as well as municipalities and users of these spaces.

Finally, the third area involves testing innovative solutions for the treatment of bodies and the redevelopment of funeral spaces. These tests will be documented during their implementation in order to assess their professional, ecological and human impacts.

The methodology adopted for this project is interdisciplinary, combining fields such as urban planning, landscape architecture, biodiversity, soil ecology, taphonomy, forensic medicine, anthropology, and social work. This approach will make it possible to anticipate and plan for funerary transitions, while comparing these ideas with the key players in the field. In addition, several partnerships have been established with two associations active at Swiss level and nine towns representing different urban scales.

The overall aim is to ensure that funeral spaces are fully integrated into policies linked to the ecological and social transition. New infrastructures could emerge in new territories by influencing the experience of mourning. In this way, the project highlights the need to anticipate innovative visions for future funerary lives and landscapes.

Picture: Esteban Lena