Juan Miró- Yarauvi- Floating Necropolis

https://www.dezeen.com/2020/07/16/miro-rivera-architects/

Juan Miró is the founder of Miró Rivera Architects. In light of the current pandemic, the architectural firm came up with a proposal they named ‘Yarauvi’ which they describe as- The Floating City of the Dead.

The vision the architect had behind the concept he created, was to instil a sense of togetherness and unity among the people in such unforeseeable times. The intention behind the work is to display how death is one of the rare things that is common to all humans across cultures. Like this disease is one that no one is sheltered from and its effects are independent of caste, creed ,religion, gender, nationality or affluence to name a few. The designer wanted to bring about this very concept of unity enabling all humans irrespective of their backgrounds and identities to be buried in the Floating Necropolis. Allowing the burial of individuals from any nationality in this floating city of the dead located between Jordan and Israel in the dead sea emphasises that every individual is a citizen of the world. This ideology is what first drew me to the design of Yarauvi.

The boat like parabolic structure of the Necropolis is brilliantly complemented with the concentric cylindrical rings surrounding its as well as placed within it creating a sense of continuity. The contrast of forms and the impeccable play with the inflow of natural light in the cemetery intrigued me. The bowl shaped space open to the sky in the centre of the cemetery adds to the serenity of the space and creates a tranquil atmosphere which in my eyes creates an ideal resting place for the deceased.

Another aspect of the proposed design that I really liked was the use of one single earthly stone white colour for every element making up the space. This again helped bring out the emotions of peace that the designer wants people to feel when visiting the cemetery.

The interiors of the cemetery seemed inspired by the colosseum in Rome. This historic association that I made instantly when seeing the structure made me enjoy the design more as the amphitheatre like area appeared like a place to celebrate the life of the deceased rather their mourn their death.

Yarauvi is designed so that families are able to bid farewell to the dead from a dock located at the southern banks of the Dead Sea. From there, the deceased will be carried in only by a select number of individuals who will be transported to Yarauvi via a boat. The boat will enter the cemetery at its base and moves through a ceremonial unicursal labyrinth that progresses to the pivotal point of the Necropolis, where the dead are then lifted to the space above. Those accompanying the dead will be allowed to enter the Necropolis this one time to witness the inhumation of their loved ones.

In my opinion, in a world where the living are caged in predesigned spaces, and the declining economies have left little scope for architectural development, the industry could shift its focus to the dead.

With the death rates shooting to the clouds, the cemeteries are filling up sooner than anticipated. The status of different cities may show the deaths as just a number but each number left behind a mark which deserves to be honoured.

I see the urge to bring the world together in trying times in the vision of this architect, through the means of respecting and honouring the dead. This idea in amalgamation to the stunning design proposed by the firm which is both futuristic yet timeless resonated with me.

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