Cemetery Complex in Riem, Munich
Laid out on the flat plain to the east of Munich, this cemetery extension provides space for roughly 5,600 new graves and a funeral hall. The complex was to be integrated into the landscaped park of the new Trade Fair City that is being developed here. The 32-acre cemetery area is divided into four elevated islands, defined by embankments and rubble-stone walling. The building complex comprises a varied sequence of enclosed spaces and open courtyards and adopts the width and axial lines of the existing cemetery on the opposite side of the road. The elevated flat concrete roof spanned across the courtyard forms a symbolic gateway to another world. Together with the bell tower, it creates a landmark and point of orientation in the small-scale surrounding urban fabric.
