Mandai North Crematorium represents the fourth generation of public crematoria to be built in Singapore over a span of 62 years. Designed as a green sanctuary that offers a healing environment for the bereaved, it provides a tranquil and dignified setting for the final send off.

Taking cues from the original land profile, the building’s form rises from the lowest part of the site on the west to the forested hill on the east. Layers of greenery are incorporated into the rising form, creating a man-made landscape that visually merges with the natural landscape beyond. The form of the building synchronises with the building’s internal functions, allowing the two-storey cremator spaces to occupy the tallest part of the building.

The crematorium is conceived to accommodate six concurrent cremation services. Visitors move through a fixed sequence of spaces as part of the service, from the Service Hall to the Viewing Room and Waiting Hall. These front-of-house spaces are complemented by operational spaces that house the cremator equipment and other supporting facilities. In recognition of its repetitive nature, a modular approach is used in shaping the building form.

Urban greening strategies are employed to create a sense of being surrounded by greenery within the tight confines of a built-up site. This includes hanging gardens, sunken gardens, and layered greenery that are interwoven with the building volumes. The interplay of light and shadow with the greenery heightens the presence of nature by casting gentle, dappled light into the interior spaces.

A material palette of natural concrete, aluminium, wood and glass was selected for the building enclosure to create an understated, dignified ambience with a timeless quality. The greenery in and around the building forms part of the palette, injecting life and vibrancy with their vivid colours and organic forms.