Treswithian Crematorium

The site for the new Crematorium at Camborne had been identified by Westerleigh following extensive research in the area, and Castria were commissioned in 2006 to design the scheme and submit a planning application. This was initially refused, but was subsequently approved at appeal on the strength of the high quality of the design and the extensive survey and reporting work which had been commissioned to inform the design and support the application.

The site consisted of two fields sloping downhill towards the east, but due to the rules about siting of crematoria, the building could only be placed in one location on the land. Fortunately, this allowed for the building to be aligned along the contours, and for the design to take advantage of good long distance rural views to the east and north, with the parking and entrance to the west.

The project involved highway alterations and improvements to provide an access to the site, the construction of the new building and provision of all services, and the creation of a landscaped park setting with car parking. All project management and design work was undertaken in house with the exception of QS and Landscape Architecture services, which were provided by WT Hills and Mor Design respectively.

The design brief required a calm, peaceful, reflective environment with high quality building and landscape design. The building and landscape design are well integrated, with an open porte cochere sheltering the main entrance to the chapel, and acting as a marker for the entrance and congregation gathering point that is visible from the entire site.

The Chapel seats a congregation of 96 and has long distance views across the open landscape to the east. The cremator equipment and service yard are at the rear of the building, screened from the Chapel exit. The building form is long and low with a slated pitched roof, raised over the Chapel to emphasise its importance and was influenced by the traditional forms of rural buildings such as farmhouses and barns. Building materials include local granite and lime rendered elevations, timber joinery and exposed trusses, and natural slate roofing. It incorporates passive and active sustainable design concepts including shading, sunlight penetration, high levels of insulation, renewable and recyclable materials, passive ventilation, heat reclamation and rainwater harvesting. A sustainable drainage system was designed to discharge into a reflection pool stretching out from the front of the building and linking the Porte Cochere with the route of the hearse.