Project Overview

The project name, "Eternal Mound", originates from the interaction between people and space. Death is not fading, but a transcendence of time, and therefore eternal. The design team created a stepped-open architecture according to the base conditions. Each floor has its theme, and all of them are with the imagery of a mound. Lastly, the colors of flowers are highlighted with a light tone base. The white space also allows visitors to feel their inner peace.
The mound is surrounded by flowers and trees, so there is a soul trail that blends in with nature. The mound also represents a small heap of earth, so the arch-shaped space with different cultures from the East and the West is arranged to let every soul rest in peace. Furthermore, the project also takes into account the mountain conditions and uses techniques such as moisture resistance and sun shading to enhance visitors' experience.

Organisation

USM INNOVATION INTEGRATED DESIGN

Team

Ting-Fa Yeh, Li-Yu Chiao, Yi-Yun Lee, Chen-Wei Wu

Project Brief

The passing of each person from this world is a time of sadness. The loss of the deceased and the sadness of the living require a quiet space for either side to adapt to the unchangeable. Visitors here pour out their thoughts and feelings. The passing of time can heal the pain, and the deceased can spend each day happily in another place. Here, the living can use flowers, grass, trees, sunlight, and dew to wish the deceased still as bright as the sun.
The dead do not vanish but live long in the Eternal Mound surrounded by daylight and greenery. The challenge of people's life is to accept life and death, to transcend life and death, and to let go of life and death. In the space, the living can have a calm and steady dialogue with themselves. The mountains, the trees, the flowers, and the sun all have the spirit of the deceased, and God will embrace each devotee with open arms.

Project Innovation/Need

The Mound of Eternal Life: A mound is a small heap of earth. The project uses two concepts to express the "mound" imagery.
One is to use the hillside terrain to create a stepped-open architecture. There are five areas, each with its unique theme. People can choose the area according to their needs or the preference of the deceased. There are ergonomic stairs on one side. As people walk up the stairs, their thoughts of the deceased rise in their hearts.
Secondly, 12 mounds are arranged in the middle section. There are 4 square and 8 arch-shaped pagodas according to the difference between Eastern and Western cultures. Among them, the arched space is divided into 5 large and 3 small. In Eastern culture, "home" is a core concept. The square shape and the roof represents that the spirit of the deceased is still with the family. On the other hand, in Western culture, people ultimately meet God. The arched space is made into an open white mound, with the curves of the arches resembling the spread of arms. The openwork carving enhances the light and shadow effect of daylight and shades the sun.

Design Challenge

Taiwan is in the Circum-Pacific seismic zone and is prone to earthquakes. The base is on a hillside, and to avoid landslides, the project had to meet slope tilt tests and national regulations. Given this, the pre-construction of the building required considerable manpower to coordinate the various units. Moreover, the architecture is built with a large amount of stone imported from overseas. The epidemic caused a shortage of materials and a long waiting time for delivery, which had to be confirmed repeatedly to ensure that the construction could be carried out on schedule.

Sustainability

In terms of lighting and ventilation, the whole building has no solid ceiling. The white mound on the middle floor is chased with carved patterns or a pavilion to achieve shade and air circulation.
In addition, the base is on a hillside, where the wind and sunlight can form a good circulation system. The dense forest and the green areas occupy a total area of about (to be added), which can regulate the temperature.
Lastly, the building materials. Open architecture is necessary to resist rain and mountain moisture. Stain- and slip-resistant stone is used for walkways and stairs to reduce cleaning and maintenance costs and to prevent people from slipping and falling.