COLUMBARIUM

A Columbarium is a structure designed to hold funeral urns containing cremated remains.

Columbaria, the plural form of the word, features a varying number of alcoves or niches, small
recessed spaces designed to hold the urns.
The structures can vary in size, from a single wall of niches to the large, cavernous spaces
used to house the dead in Ancient Rome, where the western idea of columbaria originates.
Some columbaria were outfitted with adjacent kitchens to prepare food for these celebrations.

i. ORIGIN
The word stems from the Latin "columba" or "dove" which referred to a niched surface to house
doves or pigeons. Columbaria were often placed on rooftops to keep pigeons and doves for food,
feathers, or other purposes. This terminology merged with the Buddhist practice of storing cremated
remains in similar structures. In Japan, such structures are often called "naguta" meaning "bone
receiving."

ii. MODERN DEVELOPMENTS

Modern usage of columbariums in the United States has been increasingly popular since the
latter part of the 20th century. In the 1960s, as the cremation rate began to rise, the demand for
appropriate spaces to store cremated remains also increased.

iii. COLUMBARIUM VERSUS MAUSOLEUM

Sometimes occupying similar spaces, columbaria differ from mausoleums in their

function. Mausoleums of various sizes can be used to house full remains. They exist in various
cemeteries, cathedrals, and other memorial spaces.Some columbaria may be associated with
mausoleum structures or built within a cemetery. While ancient Roman versions were occasionally
underground, columbaria also differed from structures like the catacombs, which also interred full
remains.
CATACOMBS
Catacombs are often viewed as haphazard storage for bodies, in densely populated
places like Paris, the columbaria of Rome were often more intentional and elaborate, featuring
well-articulated spaces designed to be visited by remaining loved ones with frescoes, tile, seating,
and other comforts.

A. DESIGNS OF COLUMBARIUM
The designs of columbaria vary significantly in terms of size and complexity. While some
were built within existing structures, others are freestanding columbaria in outdoor or indoor spaces.
The alcoves or columbarium niches, small recessed pockets of space, can be simple or elaborate in
decoration. Some columbaria only house the remains of a single family. Others house thousands of
urns.
The famous columbarium at the Roman Basilica of San Sebastian is a multi-story structure
underground with stairwells and passages to reach the highest levels. Many more modern
columbaria are placed around a central courtyard that invites mourners to spend time within it.
Historically, many columbaria were part of cathedrals, but most offered a non-denominational space
for burial. This is why most columbaria do not include specific religious signs or symbols.
1. FACILITIES

Funeral parlour: A place where the dead are prepared for burial or cremation.

Crematorium: Where a body is cremated.

Cemetery: Where the dead are buried.

Columbarium: A room or building with niches for funeral urns to be stored.

2. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

2.1 Materials

Columbarium construction generally uses high-quality materials such as granite,

marble, and bronze for longevity and aesthetics. Granite and marble are commonly used for
the structure due to their durability, while bronze and glass serve as versatile options for front
niches. Both bronze-front niches and glass-front niches allow for personalization and easy
identification of each columbarium niche.

2.2 Niche Dimensions

Typical niche sizes vary, but a standard single niche measures approximately 9
inches cubed, i.e, 9 inches wide, 9 inches high, and 9 inches deep. Niches up to 12
inches cubed are also common. This size helps ensure that most urns or vessels can be
properly stored within the niche. Some columbaria may feature larger or smaller niches to
cater to different preferences and urn sizes.

The niches at Arlington National Cemetery are designed to fit two urns and have
dimensions of 13 inches high, 10 inches wide and 18 inches deep.

2.3 Capacity and Footprint

The capacity of a columbarium refers to the number of niches it can hold. The footprint,
on the other hand, relates to the space the columbarium occupies.

3. COLUMBARIUM DESIGN GUIDE

 The use of a well-defined set of columbarium design guidelines is the most efficient
way for you to achieve your design goals.

3.1. Start your cemetery design based on a Cemetery Master Plan. Investing in a sound
cemetery master plan, can be the most financially beneficial decision you can make. The initial
investment up front could save enormous amounts of money years down the road. Nothing is worse
than being forced to accommodate a former mistake because as we well know, in the cemetery
business once the decision is made, it is there for eternity.

3.2. Define a phase to be developed within the Cemetery Master Plan that can realistically be
achieved within the budgetary constraints of your organization. If there is a columbarium style that
appeals to you, we encourage you to call us to assist you.

3.3. Establish the development phase’s layout and columbarium floor plan. The beauty of
Sunset’s custom design work is that our structures can be shaped to whatever you need. That said,
the columbarium floor plan can have significant implications to the overall cost of your project, and
Sunset’s guidance
will help you optimize the columbarium’s fit with the landscape design, while minimizing the financial
impact of the design.

3.4. Integrate the columbarium floor plan with the phase’s detailed landscape design. You
may possess the necessary skills to effectively do this, however, if you are at all uncertain, you may
want to work with a Landscape Architect. Landscape architects have the design know how to
address:

1. grade elevations,
2. drainage issues,
3. public accessibility,
4. visitor engagement,
5. expertise in native foliage placement.
6. appropriate columbarium layout
7. site line limitations
8. how to accentuate existing architecture features.
9. how to apply color, texture and sculptural form to a space.
10. local demographic demands for cremation interment
B. TYPES OF COLUMBARIUM
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE

Public columbariums are usually larger, offering spaces for families from all walks of life.
These are typically more affordable and open to the general public. Public columbariums can
contain up to 1,000 or more niches. On the other hand, private columbariums are smaller,
catering to a select group of people or a specific community, like a church or temple. Private options
tend to be more expensive, but they may offer a more intimate setting for remembering your loved
one.

Indoor and Outdoor

Indoor columbariums are usually housed within a building or special enclosure, offering
protection from the elements and a more controlled environment. Outdoor columbariums, by
contrast, can be found in beautifully landscaped gardens or other open spaces, providing a serene
and peaceful setting for remembrance. However, maintenance and landscaping should be
considered when opting for an outdoor columbarium.

Churches and Temples

Some columbariums are located within churches, temples, or other religious institutions.
These types of columbariums are typically exclusive to members of that particular religious
community and may be housed within the main building or in a separate, dedicated space on the
group.

VERTICALLY COLUMBARIUM

Saving-Space Possibilities for Burial

The challenge of designing a Vertical Cemetery specifically comes from the knowledge of this new
case, which is still very few. At the same time, belief rules are also creating a limitation of
design idea. When a mode of possible work among various criteria is proposed, the concept of
stacking can be three-dimensionally applied to architecture as contemporary vision.
Saving-space possibilities for burial are:
x type 1 : non-verticality methodology, which is divided as:
type 1A : exhumed force in 10-20 years,
type 1B : additional soil in 10-20 years,
type 1C : extra depth in present burial for family member in the future.
x type 2 : wall burial (stacked deceased) – morgue burial,
x type 3 : floor burial,
 x type 4 : columbarium (house of cinerary urns/cremated ashes),
x type 5 : sky burial.
(1) Type 1: Non-Verticality
Verticality disallowance by religion or belief does not mean we cannot save spaces for burial. There
is always sustainable possibility in a way to manipulate density. Therefore, I put this as one saving-
space burial typology. The following three methodologies are some practical strategies, which
demonstrate adaptive response to the land needs in urban area:
Type 1A: Exhumed Force in 10-20 years
The concerns for this disinterment are to free up some space for new burial. If the family wants to
bury their relatives on the ground, there should be a force/rule that their burial will be dug out in
several years. The unclaimed graveyard will be just removed and/or cremated (if the bones still
remain). By implementing this type, there will be a period of time where the entire site is not usable
for additional burial because there is no grave that is reaching 10-20 years yet. Moreover,
communication between cemetery organization and family member is remarkably to be built for
future exhume errands. This plan could be done specifically for the Eastern Orthodox burial
practice or families that prefer ground burial rather than cremation as immediate treatment to the
dead body.
Type 1B: Additional Soil in 10-20 years
Additional soil over the old graveyard might be another solution for belief rule that has to bury
deceased on
the ground, like Islam. In practice, before the addition, families might need to get their relatives
removed
rather than be stacked by another grave soil. Since Islam is not allowing any other burial treatment
but ground burial, this option might workable. In 10-20 years, mourning period or even graveyard
visit will get less often. Physical graveyard might be changed, but the most essential belief is still
preserved: the deceased is still on earth.

Type 1C: Extra Depth in Present Burial for Family Member in The Future
Unlike two previous types, this option has to be planned in advance. Burial site will be dug
according to the order of families/relatives. It is basically applying verticality below the earth. For
instance, as a husband died and buried, his wife would ask to dig the grave for herself in the future
together at the same site. Later, the soil that is dug will be as deep as the space needed for two
people: husband at the deeper layer, and the wife at the layer above in the future. This method is
somehow too rigid, because the space is officially planned for a specific person and there is no
room for needs or emergency improvement, but both Islam and Eastern Orthodox believers could
embedded this idea as an alternative in keeping the deceased below the
ground.
Combination of Type 1A, 1B and 1C
Combination of types above is possibly to be done by decision of collective interest or individual
preference. Almost every type can be combined in practice, either two or all three types. To be
more organized and systematic, combination is better to be done not after site decision. So that,
the planning is applicable for bigger context