andrea dragoni completes contemplative cemetery extension in italy

a new space for silence and meditation

andrea dragoni designed a series of travertine volumes for the extension of an existing cemetery in gubbio—a medieval town in central italy. the blocks are arranged in a straight line to echo the linear arrangement of the historic town and its surrounding landscapes.

to give the new architecture spatial rhythm, the stone volumes are divided by courtyards with large square openings inspired by james turrell‘s skyspaces. called ‘squares of silence’, these apertures frame the sky to create a place where people can pause and reflect, independent from the cemetery.

‘the sky thus framed opens the mind to the reign of the invisible, allowing sight and thought to abandon mother earth’s gravity and acquire a more aerial and spiritual dimension,’ says the italian architect.

images by alessandra chemollo

the courtyards with square windows to the sky are further enlivened by site-specific artworks created by italian artists sauro cardinali and nicola renzi. the artists collaborated with andrea dragoni from the beginning of the project to create pieces that are closely linked to the architecture. with this new contemplative building and these permanent artworks, the project not only provides additional space for gubbio cemetery but also gives inhabitants of the town a place to pause and reflect.

the cemetery extension has a linear arrangement to echo the old town