Highgate East Cemetery
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Highgate East Cemetery 0 +3 -3 -2 +1 +2 -1 Seven Gardens Garden gateways Seven generation stewardship: -3 -75 years -2 -50 years -1 -25 years 0 Now +1 +25 years +2 +50 years +3 +75 years The Seven Gardens of the East Loss Remembrance Reflection Cradle Rebirth Longevity Endurance The original east cemetery design is structured and The garden of lost species contains memorials for some Highgate cemetery is rich in local history, an archive At the base of the hill, the natural flood plain is The east entrance forms an ecological counterpart to the After their initial years of growth the young trees are The heart of the East cemetery forms an active working The Future Forest anticipates the future of Highgate utilitarian, over the years it has developed a homogeneous of the last flora and fauna as they become extinct from of personal and collective memories. The garden of emphasised by localised topographic interventions. west. The historic tombs are met with tombs for non- transferred to the tree nursery, transplanted in a woodland. The geometric path network is used to Cemetery, preparing the ground for a climate-adapted woodland character. Our vision for Highgate East looks our earth. The last northern wild white rhino (2008), the remembrance pays homage to these, looking back to Specific areas of excavation are to be sensitively selected human species. A semi-enclosed greenhouse chapel plantation between the existing grave and path grid. structure a mosaic of tree coupes, each employing a woodland for the next generation, and allowing space for to create a sense of wonder equivalent to that of the Pecatonica river mayfly (2018), and the Splendid Poison what Highgate - and London - once was. based on their archaeological value and contribution invites people to plant trees as an alternative form of The first year of mourning is an important period across different woodland management technique that rotates new burial methods and rituals to develop. Interventions West, but of a profoundly unique and complementary Frog (2020), with eulogies written by David Attenborough, to gaps in research such as health and disease, burial commemoration to the recently deceased - an act that cultures and religions, and the transplantation of young over 5-10 year periods. Distinct ecological havens are sustain the earth for the long term. Carefully defined character. The cemetery will be established as a ‘Whole Greta Thunberg alongside local school children. As both Located around the high-priority preservation zone, this practice or adding to the UK ancient DNA database. The will live on to grow the future of the cemetery. As part of trees forms a commemorative ritual of acknowledgement. defined away from human access, particularly around areas of graves and trees are removed for research or fed Earth’ cemetery, a heterotopia or mirror to the outside infamous and lesser-known creatures are driven from our garden focuses on the re-establishment of key views removal of assemblages should be considered when of it’s continuous rebirth, the greenhouse chapel is rebuilt Physical and personal participation aid the mourning sensitive habitats such as identified bat roosts. back into the woodland, the soil is re-nourished. world. Through transitional woodland management, world, they will be remembered here. along the main pathways and the restoration of valuable significant public benefit to academia, partnering with every 25 years using timber harvested from site, by local process, nurturing a culture of care and community. opportunities for community participation and physical monuments. establishments such as The Wellcome Collection. communities, friends and families of the deceased. The Through careful coppicing, pollarding, halo-thinning and In the early years, the Future Forest is a herb and manifestations of global ecological issues, it will pay People will be invited to pay their respects to the planet, former structure is fed back into the woodland and laid to The garden of rebirth is a community laboratory for selective taking down, a dense and diverse woodland flower meadow - a scent garden that evokes springtime its respects to the planet and become a centre for and in doing so, participate in the care of it. A virtual Trees are removed to open up vistas, their stumps left The voids that remain form seasonal rainwater collection rest, handed from the previous generation to the next. knowledge sharing - a space for identifying, growing slowly and naturally evolves. The current drainage points memories, with flowering wildflowers in summer for sustainably working with nature. reality app allows visitors to experience the animals that as standing deadwood to nourish invertebrate life and ponds and wetland micro-habitats, or are built up and caring for trees. Rare and resilient trees for our to the north-east are collected and directed as streams picking and laying at graves. A lightweight timber arbour once were, using their smart phones. Timber memorials feed the woodland. Their tops are carved into rainwater as mounds for new burial space. Strolling amongst Small clearings for community workshops include future changing climate are cultivated, such as Southern that bubble gently down the hillside path. creates an ecological colonnade, a vegetated version of A procession of seven gardens wind through the original invite people to carve their messages to the planet, collecting bowls - monuments to the lost rivers of London the undulating wet woodland invites moments of activities such as woodworking and wood-turning. This European species. New ecological burials in this area the Egyptian Avenue in the West Cemetery. In later years, orthogonal grave and path structure, each with a distinct degrading back into the earth over time. Planted as that scatter light amongst the boughs. contemplation, a quiet and tranquil area for the universal is a place for communities to touch, feel and work with nourish the soil. Once established, the young trees will be trees will be transplanted here from the tree nursery, and character aligned to the seven generations. Working with an arboretum, the woodland commemorates rare and expression of grief and bereavement. nature together, as part of an active healing process. transplanted into the cemetery woodland. the re-settled ground will create new burial space. existing site qualities, the gardens are defined by the forgotten tree species, with opportunities to partner with conservation priority areas, character areas, prevailing living archives such as the Natural History Museum and topography, hydrology, woodland conditions and historic Kew Gardens. features. The gateways between gardens are expressed Holly as topographic mound or marked by the crossing of water Village - physical signifiers of the passage of time and transition Swain’s Lane Ecological Historic from one generation to the next. The seven zones set tombs tombs out a general approach, details may vary upon further Gardeners Scatter assessment and there will be special cases throughout. +3 compound Clearing garden Activity The last THE FUTURE Herb and Waterlow Utilitarian Self-seeding and un-managed Grave Thinning, haloing Raised burial areas clearings Karl White Rhino FOREST flower Park grave layout Marx woodland growth subsidence and clearings accentuate the hillside fields 0 Gateway burial THE CRADLE mound -3 Ecological Central Avenue Ecological THE GARDEN OF Ecological Greenhouse colonnade LOST SPECIES colonnade Gateway Chapel burial mound White Rhino path Konstam Children Centre Arboretum Historic Central -2 Chester Avenue Road Gateway THE GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE burial A Eco-lodge mound Tree nursery Marx +2 Brookfield Drive Primary -1 THE WORKING School WOODLAND THE GARDEN OF REFLECTION Section AA: East Cemetery part 1 -3 -2 -1 0 Clearing WATERLOW PARK Timeline of transformations over 1950 1975 2000 2025 three historic generations +1 THE GARDEN Standing Commemorative Extinct animal Woodworking Coppicing Arbour New burials in Veteran tree Flood alleviation Matured wet Stoneleigh Coppices Karl OF REBIRTH deadwood tree planting grave areas burial mounds props ponds woodland Terrace Marx KEY Entrance / potential future entrance Historically listed monument A Ecological monument Priority grave restoration area Gateway Priority monument restoration area Seasonal Springs burial wet Topographic ‘gateway’/memorial wall mound woodlands Accessible ramp Flood feature - Stream/pond Reinserted tree Highgate Wing, Standing deadwood Whittington Hospital Significant tree (haloed) Protected bat roost Timber stacking / woodworking area 0 100m Preserved historic view corridor 0 +1 +2 +3 Section AA: East Cemetery part 2 Contours Timeline of transformations over 2025 2050 2075 2100 East Cemetery Plan three future generations.