Divine Breath - Funeral Pavilion
Located on the site of Aro Ha Wellness Retreat, project involved designing a celebration space in line with the cultural practices from a chosen religion. The name Aro Ha, means “in the presence of divine breath” in Te Reo Māori, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand. Inspired by this, the final design features a funeral pavilion designed with the Japanese Buddhist funeral ceremony in mind.
Side Elevation
In Western culture, funerals are generally seen as dark and sorrowful events, but in Buddhism, they are a chance to honour the deceased while celebrating their moving on to the next life.
The aim for this design was to provide a calm and serene environment for family and friends to mourn, and celebrate, their loved one’s final journey, surrounded by the beautiful landscape of Te Waipounamu. The design features a simple garden designed using Wabi Sabi as a central philosophy surrounding the pavilion itself.
The funeral hall, located inside the pavilion, is flooded with natural light from the vertical floor-to-ceiling windows placed between structural columns, offering a view over the lake. This connects back to a central belief in Wabi Sabi, the impermanence of life. This can most clearly be seen in nature, such as in the changing colours of leaves in the autumn, or the changes a river makes into the form of a cliff over time.
Initial Design Sketches
Pavilion Interior