Extension of a cemetery by Raulino Silva Arquitecto

Portuguese architect, Raulino Silva designed the extension of the cemetery of Bagunte in Vila do Conde, near Porto. An extension that engages with its setting and the existing environment.



Raulino Silva, Portuguese architect, handled the expansion of the cemetery of Bagunte as a memorial to the living and to the natural setting.



Building restrictions, the road and entrance to the south, the sides bounded by the church and oratory meant the only way to expand was northwards, towards the open fields.



To counteract the different height between the land for the cemetery extension and the farm fields, Raulino Silva created a concrete retaining wall covered by stones salvaged from the old walls. This choice not only meant recycling materials, it also camouflaged the extension in the local setting.





The new marble tombs are separated from the original cemetery, which is a public memorial dating back hundreds of years. The main material used is the traditional white marble of Estremoz, also used for the stairs and the water fountain.



So, when you arrive in the extension of the Bagunte cemetery, the clear, sleek lines dominate, without blocking the view of the surrounding countrywide, providing uninterrupted views over the Ave river valley and the nearby mountains. The setting plays a crucial part in the composition by Silva and here the beauty of nature becomes a kind of consolation and a sign of hope.

Architecture: Raulino Silva Arquitecto, Unipessoal Lda 
Engineering: Topoconde, Lda; 
Construction: BHF – Mediação Imobiliária e Construção Lda
Location: Bagunte, Vila do Conde, Portugal
Date: 2008/2013
Images courtesy of Raulino Silva