Cemetery Expansion in Saint-Antonin-sur-Bayon / Atelier Régis Roudil Architectes

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The composition of this project offers the necessary introversion required for contemplation on a site open to the broader landscape. Unity has been achieved by reordering the various expansions of this accumulation over time.Text description provided by the architects.Located on the southern slope of the Sainte Victoire, the iconic landscape mountain surrounding Aix-en-Provence, the existing cemetery of the village ofSaint-Antonin-sur-Bayonhas already been expanded twice. This new expansion is inserted into the mountain's northern side, like a staple intended to contain the existing cemetery.The colors of limestone, a local material closely linked to the region’s identity, recall the colors of the boulders on the Sainte-Victoire. Existing vegetation was kept and further filled in. New trees planted will grow to provide shade for the expansion. The added plants increase the presence of existing species on the site: thyme, rosemary, rock rose, gorse, etc.The site, benefitting from its picturesque context, is an integral part of this land nourished by the resonant emotions of the national imaginary. Thus, any intervention must dutifully reflect the sensitivity of its setting to ensure its lasting and humble insertion.