Today I visited the ‘Nieuwe Noorder’ a crematorium designed by architects Gianni Cito and Herman Zeinstra. This absolutely beautiful building was built at an existing cemetery in the Northern district of Amsterdam. I was given a tour around the building by the manager Dick Devente and architect Gianni Cito, both provided very valuable information for our research.

The transparent architecture creates a very open atmosphere which is at the same time intimate and warm. The freshness of this design is also very striking, it is not stressing the sadness and sorrow, no depressions here.. instead there is the melancholic humming of bees and birds singing the blues in sunny trees.