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In Search of Crematorium Design: The Case of Two Budapest Architectural Competitions, 1904 and 1916 At the beginning of the 20th century, finding an appropriate architectural expression for crematoria remained a significant challenge for architects. This challenge stemmed not only from the absence of an established functional building type but also from ongoing debates within the cremation movement itself, because cremation was seen as both a modern and ancient burial practice, as well as both a devotional and non-religious method. These conflicting perspectives made it even more difficult to define an architectural expression suitable for crematoria. In this presentation, I examine the key architectural patterns of crematorium design that emerged in European architecture during the first half of the 20th century, with a particular focus on two competitions held in Budapest. Unlike examples of completed projects, the Budapest case, where the search for an appropriate design was conducted through the competition mechanism, provides valuable materials that reveal a broad spectrum of competing projects and ideas. This enables a deeper investigation into how differing perceptions of cremation were embodied into architectural forms.
Image: Andor Szende’s competition project for crematorium in Budapest, 1916. Source: Arcanum, “A székesfővárosi krematórium tervpályázata,” Magyar Építőművészet 7-8 (1916): 28
RSVP Agnes Bendik at [email protected]
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