Reviving history: student’s transformative designs for Melbourne General Cemetery

An exhibition by landscape architecture students from the University of Melbourne has showcased design ideas for the future of Melbourne General Cemetery. 

On July 11, Melbourne University students held an exhibition showcasing 24 individual landscape projects for redesigning Melbourne’s oldest cemeteries.

With digital scans of landscape elements and heritage features from within the cemetery, the main goal of the exhibition was to explore new possibilities for the Melbourne General Cemetery, including more public areas and better facilities.

It comes amid current efforts by the Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust to revitalise the cemetery by planting locally native plants and grasses as part of “Project Cultivate”. 

Damien Tang, one of the 24 Master of Landscape Architecture students who participated in the exhibition, told Inner City News that his vision for a garden cemetery included a variety of grasses, flowers, and shrubs from native and exotic species.

“My philosophy was that water enables the growth of an abundance of flowers and woody shrubs, and the diverse vegetation can absorb water and slow down water's flow, mitigating the potential flooding that occurs on Lygon St,” Damien said.

Using the area's biodiversity to its advantage, the design proposes replacing retaining fences with waterlogging-tolerant vegetation and seasonal flowers to create a visually attractive garden cemetery.

“This new garden allows people to ramble and discover moments at the cemetery, such as the overgrown vegetation, bird life, and beautiful woody shrubs and flowers,” Damien said.

Biodegradable urns are part of Damien’s design strategy. He suggests that urns containing cremated ashes can be topped with growing vegetation and any plant of the client's choice.

“Even when a person has passed away, they have never left us. Their essence will return to the Earth, supporting the new growth of the vegetation, hence, symbolising a cycle of life,” Damien said.

Creating a new memorial ground was another idea presented at the exhibition by landscape architecture student Josh Yu.

His design recognises that the cemetery currently offers unique tranquillity and atmosphere, but the lack of intervention has pushed the space into a critical state.

“After running for more than 170 years, it is now almost fully occupied by graves, with minimal space left to be developed,” Josh said. “This raises a wide discussion on the future of the cemetery.”

Josh's solution involves compiling the deteriorated headstones scattered throughout the cemetery into a single memorial ground. 

This initiative aims to honour the deceased while maintaining the cemetery's historical integrity. 

“Despite having deteriorated, I believe that the stones are not waste, but contain stories and emotions that once lived vividly,” Josh said.

“It serves not only for friends and relatives of the deceased but anyone who is experiencing any kind of loss.” •