The construction industry builds for the people, addressing the needs of the society. In recent years, the Government has attached greater importance to parents who have experienced miscarriage by building various facilities. Ir Thomas HO, Chairman of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) visited the first cremation facility for abortuses in Hong Kong, the “Home of Forever Love”, to learn how the industry utilises their professional knowledge and helps the community deliver care towards the families through building design.
Before the setup of Home of Forever Love, only abortus keeping facilities are available in Hong Kong. Prior to that, stillborn foetuses of less than 24 weeks’ gestation were treated as clinical waste for disposal at landfill, which aggravates the pain of the parents. The commission of the Home of Forever Love provides families with more options regarding the handling of abortuses as well as the cremation services for unclaimed abortuses from local hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Ar. Benny LEE and Ar. Paul MUI, Directors and Co-Founders of BREADstudio Limited designed the building and they believe that the facility attributes great importance. The two architects would like to express their condolences and bring comfort to the families, which drives them to present well-thought-out and exquisite design.
Appealing Curved Roof Carries Functional Value On-site Precast to Overcome Challenges under Pandemic
Located close to Kwai Chung Crematorium, the Home of Forever Love is recognised by its homogeneous hue and two immense curved roofs. Ar. Benny LEE said that apart from its artful appearance, the curved roofs are also practical, “we would like to avoid the weighty feeling of a massive building, so we build a smooth curved surface instead. The roofs are also used to cover the chimney of the cremation installation so not to upset the families.” The construction method is as innovative as the design, the team overcame the hindrance of logistics under pandemic by adopting on-site precast method to enhance speed and efficiency. A temporary production workshop was set next to the construction site which also reduced the transportation cost and time. “Building Information Modeling (BIM) was used in the design stage to create a 3D model of the building, thus we were able to produce three moulds based on it and built the two curved roofs by eight modules.” Whilst the modules are being lifted and installed, the team built the foundation and shear walls at the same time, maximising the benefit of precast construction method.
Ir Thomas HO, Chairman of the CIC praised the team for their agility and the extensive adoption of innovation technology, as well as taking buildability into account as early as in design stage. While safety and efficiency are enhanced, it also eases the team in tackling the unpredictable challenges.
Thorough Consideration Shown in Design Bringing Comfort to the Families
Apart from cremation installations, the Home of Forever Love provides various facilities for families to mourn their abortuses including a multi-purpose room, a garden of remembrance dedicated for scattering the ashes of abortuses and electronic kiosks. In general, cremation of deceased is carried out by pressing a button in the facility which is unsympathetic. Yet the two architects showed a caring attitude and made a twist for the memorial rituals at the multi-purpose room, the “Farewell Hall of Forever Love”. “Body of the abortuse will be put inside a cardboard container on the table surrounded by flowers, family members can then nudge it through the tunnel that leads to the cremation installation, afterwards they would turn off the light and close the door, which resembles the process of putting a baby to sleep.”
Besides the “Farewell Hall of Forever Love”, Ar. Benny LEE and Ar. Paul MUI are also thoughtful on the design of other facilities. After the memorial activity and cremation process, when families are heading towards the garden of remembrance, the “Little Garden of Forever Love”, what comes into their view is a pool with water ripples that reflects the sky. Ar. Paul MUI said they wish to calm the families, “Families depart through another door which leads to this unobstructed view. By all means we want to help them feel relieved.”
An evergreen “Tree of Life” is at the heart of the “Little Garden of Forever Love”, scattering the ashes of the abortuses around the tree, symbolises the cycle of life. The message stand next to it let families display message notes and flowers, providing a way for them to express their love towards the abortuses. Families can also conduct memorial activities at electronic kiosks inside the “Memorial Corner”, reminiscing their loved ones with the view of the garden. Ar. Benny LEE and Ar. Paul MUI hopes the architecture of the Home of Forever Love can give solace to families and put their minds at ease.
Designing with Professionalism and Meticulousness Demonstration of Care and Love through Architecture
The name of the “Home of the Forever Love” symbolises everlasting care and love, not only does it imply on the love the families have towards their abortuses, but also the support the community holds for them. The commission of the Home is definitely a benefit to both. Ir Thomas HO appreciates the teams’ caring and sympathy which is reflected on the designs where they put themselves into the users’ shoes, taking care of their needs.
Ar. Benny LEE and Ar. Paul MUI said that since the commission of the Home of Forever Love, they have been receiving heart-warming feedback from the families and the community, “the sincere gratitude from families who have experienced a miscarriage, and even cards wrote by families who do not, all these show that the building is indeed fulfilling its mission. In fact, we believe that showcasing care towards the users is our first priority through this project, instead of simply showcasing architectural excellence.” Ir Thomas HO agrees and adds that the project truly embodies the aim of the construction industry, building a better home for all walks of life.
