Lakewood Cemetery Garden Mausoleum was recently awarded the AIA Institute Honor Award. The Institute Honor Awards program recognizes achievements for a broad range of architectural activity to elevate the general quality of architecture practice, establish a standard of excellence against which all architects can measure performance, and inform the public of the breadth and value of architecture practice.
The Garden Mausoleum at Lakewood Cemetery required careful consideration of the intimacy of personal grieving and the shared rituals of commemoration. The 24,500-square-foot building is anchored by a two-level structure housing a committal chapel and a reception space. The building then unfolds into a series of garden-level chambers for interments. The chapel and reception space are the more active, communal spaces; the garden-level chambers are quiet and contemplative. Still, with light-filled rooms connected to a landscaped garden, this project challenges the paradigm of mausoleums as dark, introverted places. Each burial chamber is different, and each frames a unique view through large windows or skylights. -AIA
Since its founding in 1871, Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis has served as the foremost resting place for Minnesota’s distinguished citizens. Familiar names like Humphrey, Wellstone, Pillsbury, and Walker are found here, among a long list of local pioneers, heroes, civic leaders, industrialists and art patrons. The private, non- sectarian cemetery is laid over 250 acres of rolling landscape adjoining the city’s historic Grand Round’s parkway system. Lakewood Cemetery’s historical importance and impeccably manicured grounds make it a treasured landmark and community asset in the City’s Uptown neighborhood.
AIA National Honor Awards: Lakewood Mausoleum
Video: Lakewood Cemetery Garden Mausoleum – HGA Architects & Engineers
MG McGrath | Lakewood Mausoleum Project Portfolio
MG McGrath’s Scope of Work: MG McGrath installed 3″ Thermax sheathing, Z furring, 3/4″ plywood, 30# felt, copper vertical standing seam wall panels out of 16 ounce copper. MG McGrath fabricated all of the window trims using .063” polished, and patinized Muntz Bronze. Conical skylights were installed on the green roof and they were made of 1/8” polished, and patinized Muntz Bronze. All exterior copings consisting of Quartz Zinc, and 1/8” Bronze were fabricated by MG McGrath. Interior: Interior oculus skylight trim rings were fabricated and installed by MG McGrath. They were then plastered over to give the entire interior of the skylight the same finish. MG McGrath fabricated face plates to modify exit light signs using 1/8” Aluminum which received a plaster finish to blend in with the wall, and the Bronze, which was installed into an architectural brick wall. MG McGrath fabricated slotted, radiused, .090” diffusers directly inside the glass of the conical skylights and they can be seen from outside on the green roof. We fabricated 3 round, conical, cover plates for the Bocci lights on the second floor of the mausoleum. They were fabricated and installed in a manner that allows a person to change a light bulb without taking the entire cover plate off. They are mounted with fasteners, but also have a chain which will hold the cover from falling when the fasteners are removed. All of the interior window frames were clad with .063” patinized Muntz Bronze.