The Hills of Shanghai: Cemeteries as Urban Narratives

Project Statement:

Cemeteries are places for the living as much as they are for the dead. They serve as spaces where history, memory, and nature intersect. By honoring past generations, the cemetery becomes a foundation for a new type of urban landscape—one that holds the potential to unify communities, preserve cultural identity, and support urban ecology. It acts as a green lung for the city while transforming traditional death care practices into forward-thinking ecological solutions. Our proposal conceptualizes the cemetery as a dynamic and growing system, evolving over time to sculpt itself into an iconic and integral part of the urban fabric. As it matures, it transitions into a vibrant ecological hotspot that supports biodiversity and provides a haven for community engagement.

This project "The Hills of Shanghai" borrows the ancient language of the burial mound—one of the oldest symbolic and spatial gestures in human history. Through a sensitive reinterpretation of this form, the mound becomes more than a memorial—it becomes a spatial, spiritual, and ecological medium through which communities can connect with the past, experience the present, and imagine sustainable futures. The proposal celebrates cultural continuity, fosters public well-being, and reframes cemeteries as active, living landscapes that shape the identity of a city over time.

Project Description:

A Landscape Architecture Narrative: Memory, Space and Nature

Rooted in the core philosophy of landscape architecture, this design focuses on returning to nature and allowing the landscape to evolve organically. Inspired by traditional Chinese beliefs that honor the dead while celebrating life, the project transforms the cemetery from a static site of remembrance into a living, breathing green space. It simultaneously addresses environmental, cultural, and urban challenges through a holistic and sustainable vision.

In Chinese culture, ancestral reverence is foundational. Elders and their legacies are deeply respected, and this respect becomes the moral and cultural grounding of family and society. The cemetery, therefore, is more than a resting place—it is a site of continued interaction between generations. By embedding these values into the physical design of the space, we create a landscape that is responsive to tradition while adaptable to modern urban life.

Designed by Sara Hamzeh and Tara Kanj, the proposal utilizes gabion burial units as core infrastructural and symbolic elements. These units house the deceased within biodegradable materials, serving both ecological and commemorative functions. Arranged in radial and vertical systems, they allow for organic expansion and eventual overgrowth by vegetation. This gradual transformation results in a burial ground that mimics natural topography, evolving into a system of hills and groves that reflect the passing of time.

Incorporating the philosophy of “returning to the earth,” the mound system enables each burial site to become a contributor to the surrounding ecosystem. This approach not only aligns with the ecological goals of sustainable burial practices, but also echoes the ancient belief of cyclical life. Over time, the cemetery transitions into a memorial forest, where layered plant life, native species, and human rituals coalesce in a shared narrative of rebirth and regeneration. It encourages biodiversity, inviting birds, pollinators, and small wildlife into an urban sanctuary.

The project also addresses the cultural importance of ritual and seasonal commemoration. Events like the Ching Ming Festival, when families visit ancestral graves, are accommodated through carefully designed circulation paths and contemplative spaces. Trees become commemorative markers, with plaques honoring the deceased in ways that blur the line between human legacy and natural landscape. The result is a space of reverence, gathering, reflection, and quiet celebration.

Temporality is a key principle in this landscape architecture proposal. It acknowledges that the most meaningful landscapes are not instantly complete—they grow, adapt, and transform. Over three phases, the cemetery transitions from a structured burial ground to a hidden garden, and ultimately into a mature urban forest. Each stage offers a different user experience—from mourning to contemplation, to casual engagement with nature. The design offers a vision of a cemetery that is not isolated from the city, but deeply integrated into it, contributing to public health, environmental awareness, and cultural enrichment.

By merging ecological design with cultural storytelling, “The Hills of Shanghai” offers a transformative blueprint for what cemeteries can be in the future. It is a model of how landscape architecture can shape meaningful, multifunctional urban green spaces that serve both the living and the dead. Through adaptive phasing, cultural resonance, and ecological stewardship, this project redefines memorial landscapes for the 21st century and beyond.