Mayflower Crematory | Duxbury, Massachusetts 

The Duxbury Crematory operates as a third party facility, performing cremations for regional funeral homes.  The existing crematory had been in continuous operation with no upgrades in its thirty years of service. The facility was in ill repair and provided no proper accommodations for funeral director patrons or grieving families. 

The new building carefully merges the public and private while maintaining critical separations.  The modest, stone grey crematory slips behind the open wood-clad office pavilion.  The vertical rhythm of its cedar siding compliments the forest and the gently sloping form mirrors the surrounding landforms.  

A generous meeting room transforms into a contemplative viewing space for families wishing to observe the cremation process. A pair of oversized wooden doors opens to complete a wood-framed portal into the adjacent crematory, simultaneously screening the view from the entry for privacy.  This unique amenity allows the Town to offer new kinds of services previously unavailable in the old facility. Families of faiths that traditionally practice funeral pyre rites often opt for this type of service; this transition also reflects emerging attitudes in commemoration.  The new viewing room is transforming the way the Town serves the community, now attracting and accommodating families region-wide.