Everyday use of urban cemeteries: a Norwegian case study

Abstract

The cemetery lay-out is set to meet the need for burying, but Scandinavian cemeteries are often wellmaintained green spaces that could be potentially attractive areas for recreation. Shortage of urban green space and changing views on death and funerals could also lead to alterations in use of public urban green spaces, such as cemeteries. The objective of this study is to explore and describe everyday use of two urban green cemeteries in Oslo and discuss issues concerning designing for multiple and everyday use of urban cemeteries. Systematic moment observations of users’ activities were made in the cemeteries. Eighteen types of activities were registered including visiting graves, crossing, biking, walking the dog, and exploration of cultural heritage. The study showed a varied use of both cemeteries and that everyday activities were common. Still, the cemeteries’ main function is to serve the grave-visitors with a place to commemorate. In the planning and management of urban cemeteries one will have to take the needs of all its user-groups into consideration in order to keep and develop the particular quality that the cemetery as an urban public green space offers to its visitors and the local community. This paper discusses different issues related to various design solutions.