Memory Lane

Team 

Name: Lena Ma

Nationality: Canadian Chinese

Institution / Company: Ryerson University

– HONORABLE MENTION of 2020 Monument Competition

In the current cemetery crises of inefficient land use and negative impact on the environment, this new typology aims to integrate the living with the dead, allowing for symbiotic growth with the city and the removal of the negative stigma of the deceased. This is done through a series of cemeteries that will occupy the abandoned laneways within the city of Toronto, activating the space and reviving life through population and green space. The plants are kept healthy through fertilization via a network of effluent irrigation from water cremation of dead bodies. The people of our past are made to literally support cultural, social, and sustainable aspects of the living, while providing a peaceful visitation space for the dead. 

Markers of the dead are in a trellis formation, verticalizing the garden. Each marker is equipped with a projection that visualizes the memories of the deceased, along the walls of the laneway. This will create a walkable monument of moving images for the public to enjoy during special events. This integrates the lives of the past, present, and future in a single space, developing a temporal experience that embraces and celebrates our loved ones. Let’s take a walk down memory lane. 

#Interaction between different generations #Accessibility & Land use planning #Sustainable impact #Public Space organization & maintenance #Digital vs physical