Makom Shalom at West Laurel Hill Cemetery

Cemetery Planning + Design | Bala Cynwyd, PA

Makom Shalom (Place of Peace) is inspired by the natural landforms that make West Laurel Hill Cemetery memorable. Halvorson | Tighe & Bond Studio created a contemporary, contemplative garden cemetery that respects Jewish funeral customs while integrating seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.

Situated at a promontory near the main entrance, Makom Shalom features a series of terraced burial areas that gradually step down the slope, allowing each to nestle into the topography. The 450-foot-long, 8’ tall promontory masonry wall and curvilinear retaining walls embrace the existing topography, creating an upper level burial area with an overlook garden that offers a restful, contemplative space for visitors.

A vegetative screen along Belmont Avenue follows the gentle curve of the lower walls, road, walking paths, and burial layout to establish a visually unified design. Lawn paths combined with lavish planting materials preserve the openness of the existing landscape while offering a soothing, garden experience for those visiting loved ones.

Green infrastructure filters storm runoff into underground basins at the bottom of the slope. The design team selected a palette of planting materials that were native to the Eastern Pennsylvania region as well as those with biblical significance related to Jewish culture.

prINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE

Robert Uhlig FASLA LEED AP BD+C

Craig Halvorson FASLA

Project Manager

Iris Yung-Ching Lin, PLA

Team

Client:
West Laurel Hill Cemetery

 

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