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Tours

RIBA East Great British Buildings Talk and Tour of Bushey Cemetery

​As part of this series of events showcasing 2018's Award winners, Bushey Cemetery will host a talk by Waugh Thistleton Architects.

Join us for an exclusive opportunity to hear more about this RIBA Award winning building from the architect who designed it.

As part of this series of events showcasing 2018's Award winners, Bushey Cemetery will host a talk by Waugh Thistleton Architects.

"The architects, have a very strong, long term relationship with the Jewish community. They have completed a number of synagogues prior to this project and the simplicity, austerity even, of the means and materials used in this project are a reflection of this mutual respect, trust and empathy. Every aspect of the building layout and progress through the landscape are in keeping with the spirit of the event."

The limited number of buildings, the simplicity of the forms and expressionist choice of materials all reflect the symbolism of burial to the Jewish community. An example of the care with which each element has been considered, is the gentle slope of the floor in the Prayer Halls that tips the visitors forward along the route to the graves. The fact that the rammed earth walls of the prayer hall will return to the earth once the cemetery is full and has to be extended again, is a poetic response to the programme for the cemetery and the traditions of the Jewish faith.

This scheme has won an RIBA Regional Award and RIBA National Award.

This event is part of our Great British Buildings series of talks and tours around the country.