Course: Modern Architecture

Name: Viktria Zacharov

Date: 19th of January, 2015
Topic: Crematorium

and Urn Grove - Ferdinand Miluk

Location: Bratislava, Slovakia

Project realization: 1968
An environment with no conventional understanding of the cemetery is required. It should be an easeful,
counterbalancing and harmonious environment. (F. Miluk )
First crematorium in Bratislava is built at the foot of Small Carpathian mountains in the middle of pine, sparse
woods . Other bordering countries had their crematoriums at that time already. For Slovakia the building of new
first crematorium was important event and there was a big effort to find the perfect place for such a building.
The author has gained the potentials of the meadow and the woods, the character of the place. But the practical
side of the building had big impact on its architecture. Ferdinand Miluk has considered the placement, access,
course of the ceremony or disposition of the technologies and service rooms.
The crematorium represents minimalistic postwar architecture inspired by a few worldwide famous architects and
their works. We can notice elements of Mies van der Rohes or Frank Lloyd Wrights architecture such as free
plan, spreading walls into exterior, composition of the building according to contour lines, minimalising of
transverse walls. However Miluk seeked the biggest inspiration in Scandinavian architecture and its connection
with nature. Architect has very precisely chosen the elements of Scandinavian architecture. The crematorium is
conceived in a spirit of Scandinavian modernism.
Once you enter the area long arc pathway is leading uphill to the upper part of the meadow where the building of
crematorium stands. The concept consists of puristic composition of the lengthwise white walls defining the basic
interior spaces and the transverse walls made entirely out of glass. Thanks to glazed walls the effect of
transverse walls are rapidy reduced. The horizontal walls are spreading towards the forest and meadow. The
main ceremony hall has one wall completely glazed right in front of grievings seating so that they have perfect
view of the forest. All service rooms are in the underground floor. Materials used in interior spaces are gradually
continuing to the exterior as an ideology of modernistic architecture. Small stone blocks are on the ground. Wood
was designed to be as a finishing material for the ceiling. All materials which architect chose to use are in
accordance with the nature.
The object is design to form strictly horizontal form with one strong vertical element a chimney. The composition
is complemented with totem sculpture by Kompnek in the middle of meadow, travertine sculpture by Uhr in front
of the main hall and sculpture Sadness by Tth in the Urn Grove.
The other part of complex is as important as crematorium itself for the architect. He designed the urns for famous
persons which he reduced to wavy urn following the terrain of the hill.

The whole complex is very sensitively built in the surrounding nature. It is the only building with no monument
character which has been registered as a national cultural monument in 2003. Many discussions about the future
of this object are being held nowadays. The biggest question has always been whether to renovate the
crematorium as a monument while keeping the same materials or to use new technologies and materials for
renovating.
The crematorium and urn grove is one of the most important buildings of Slovak postwar architecture. Ferdinand
Miluk was awarded with Herders prize for architecture in 2001 mainly thanks to this piece of work. The
crematorium should be taken much seriously in case of renovation and taking care of it. Buildings in the
neigbourhood should be design in accordance with crematorium so that they do not destroy nice character and
atmosphere of Cremtorium and Urn Grove area. It deserves better future.
References:
magazine ARCH 03/08
http://www.register.ustarch.sav.sk/index.php/en/function/125-pietna/435-krematorium-a-urnovy-haj
http://www.asb.sk/architektura/stavby/nadcasova-architektura/krematorium-v-bratislave