"The last garden"- Post human ecology and Infrastructure of death

Set within Bethnal Green Gardens, this project reimagines the architecture of death through ecology, ritual, and material transformation. It questions the growing separation between funeral infrastructure and everyday life, proposing a crematorium garden where mourning is not hidden away, but integrated into a living public landscape.

At the centre of the proposal is water cremation, explored as a more environmentally conscious alternative to traditional burial and flame cremation. Filtered rainwater collected across the site is reused within the cremation process, while the remaining ashes are combined with soil and mycelium to support new plant growth throughout the gardens. Death therefore becomes part of an ongoing ecological cycle rather than a singular ending.

The architecture unfolds through a sequence of layered spatial experiences, moving from earth and water into nature, mechanical processes, and finally spiritual reflection. Visitors pass gradually from the openness of the public garden into quieter ceremonial spaces through sheltered courtyards, changing levels, and softened transitions. Floating stone installations, free-growing vegetation, and partially submerged spaces create an atmosphere that feels both grounded and ethereal, balancing permanence with decay.

The project ultimately explores how architecture can hold grief with dignity while remaining connected to life around it. It is designed to provide stability and strength, yet remain in constant transformation through nature, weather, growth, and time. In doing so, it gently reminds visitors that where death exists, life is never truly over; from stability, change continues to grow.