"THE NEW VISION OF CEMETERY IN MIDDLE EAST"

Graduation Project

Cemetery is a spatially defined area where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burial ground. And the word cemetery from Greek means “sleeping place “.

Cemeteries are such a place for both life and death, and hold both by the living and the dead. Also Cemetery is a special built environment that differs from other urban and architectural spaces, by its own created civilization which varies from community to community through the religious beliefs, cultural rituals and funerary customs. The burial rituals and beliefs of that culture shape the built environment of cemeteries while, the cemetery environment vice versa, shapes the quality of visitation of mourners and the way of remembering the deceased through its memorial .

Making cemeteries as a part of a sustainable community fabric,and use it as a social green space on a daily basis while still serving the needs of those in mourning or who have expired.Which might decrease the psychological fear of visitor or the city resident. and to address the nature of cemetery within historic and cultural context. By respecting Islamic regulation and cultural society. Another aim of this project is to “determine suitable graves construction methods for cemetery that meet the needs of Islamic law”.

Cemetery needs is a basic facility that is as important as other basic facilities to the communities in every country particularly to Muslim community. A lot of issues arise in Muslim Cemetery caused by increase in human population and development. Land shortage for burials is one of the many issues that emerge out of accelerated urban growth in most developing Asian countries, including Iraq. Furthermore, cemetery areas are not systematically managed causing the community become uninterested to make visits and this has supported superstitions mentality among the Muslim community”. Thus, this project will give the new vision of cemetery for Islamic community.

Concept:

Cemetery is a place that everyone one day will go there, either for burying or visiting the dead. So, Cemetery Is not a place for specific part of the people. (آل عمران (185) كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ). So, it must be   designed for everyone. The one who is dying must be provide a place with Islamic regulation and burying to the ground. And provide reasonable environment for the visitor. Which don’t have negative affect on surrounding  and Create environmentally friendly space for the city. While discussing the ideology of the project there were 3 different ideas on cemetery: -First-There is a  kind of fear inside the  environment of cemetery.   -Second-There must be a kind (خشوع)of fear for the visitors while   visiting the cemetery so as to remember resurrection. -Third-The place is already relaxing heart

Generation Of Concept:

-For the First point,we have to decrees the fright and scariness of the environment of the cemetery by making Project a vital space, and give the impression of life after death and continuity.  النحل (10) هوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً ۖ لَّكُم مِّنْهُ شَرَابٌ وَمِنْهُ شَجَرٌ فِيهِ تُسِيمُونَ الأنبياء) (30) وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ ۖ أَفَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ ( So, by adding water feature and planting trees within reasonable design and using ecological idea for Designing the cemetery, the overall project will give the impression of life and decrease the fright of the Cemetery.

-For the Second one, when we are making cemetery a vital space, and showing the life after death, this also make the visitor to remember that there is Another life after death and make them reviewing them self, and remember  resurrection. (زوروا القبورَ فإنَّها تذَكِّرُكمُ الآخرةَ)  النَّبيِّ صلَّى اللَّهُ علَيهِ وسلَّمَ also putting the facilities like (Mosque, Library, Condolence Hall …….) underground can achieve the second point, which is make the visitor to have a fear (خشوع) of the space.

-For the Third one, there are several existing problems of the cemetery we have to solve them in order to make The environment even better. -Arrangement of the gravesو Making cemetery as a part of sustainable community fabric and using as a public parkو Not having enough Landscape elements, Easy accessibility for the graves Clear path for pedestrian and handicaps.