<translation>Sorrow Hall in Roudnice nad Labem - 2nd prize</translation>

LOCATION OF THE BUILDING ON THE LAND
The location for the construction of the funeral hall lies at the end of the cemetery complex, which consists of the municipal cemetery, a scattering meadow, and a Jewish cemetery. The new building of the funeral hall represents a solution to appropriately enclose the area and integrate the memorial of the Jewish cemetery more into the complex of the Roudnice burial site. The composition of the Jewish cemetery serves as an entrance point to the organization of the land itself. The axially placed torso of the funeral hall, set against the now green expanse of the cemetery, is balanced by a park area – a bosquet. This delineation creates a strip along the western side of the scattering meadow, which serves as an access path to the funeral hall. The funeral hall is positioned at the boundary of the bosquet and the path, i.e., at the center of the entire composition. The generously dimensioned access path to the hall also acts as a dividing element between the scattering meadow and the bosquet, which in turn shapes the construction of the hall.

ARCHITECTURAL SOLUTION OF THE BUILDING
Thinking about the funeral hall inevitably begins with memories of farewells and the circumstances we have experienced in the past. For our design, the starting memory became that of a small church, which was self-evident in every way. The building simplified to its essence, where both weddings and funerals could occur. The self-evidence of the church was given by its simplification, a focus on the function of the building, and a sort of forgetting about architecture.
Therefore, we designed a building that strives to be similarly self-evident and unrefined. The important aspect is solely why we have come here – for farewells and remembrance. The concept of the house stems from the acknowledgment of internal functions and their clarity to the outside. The brick monolith, firmly set in the terrain, consists of three volumes – a covered vestibule, the funeral hall, and facilities for close relatives. The nave of the building begins with the moderately high mass of the vestibule, which is accessible from the path through a large entrance opening, following the example of churches. We attempt to eliminate any doubts about where to enter the house. The bereaved gather in the vestibule and wait for the ceremony to commence. The actual funeral hall comprises an elevated space ending with a recess for the coffin and the speaker. The hall space is connected by a large window with a fruit orchard – bosquet. The house concludes with facilities for close relatives, providing an opportunity for a private farewell with the deceased. This part of the house also contains an entrance to the service basement. The position, size, and number of entrances – openings (4) into the house correspond to the basic functions.
An important element of the design is the elimination of unnecessary “interspaces” within the house. Everything that is not strictly necessary is discarded, even at the cost of reducing the comfort of the building. The benefit is easy orientation and the possibility for the bereaved to concentrate on their thoughts.

OUTDOOR LANDSCAPING OF THE AREA
We perceive the landscaping of the area as an integral part of the building. The area of the land is designed to be enclosed by a wall, which would ensure privacy during the ceremonies. The wall also visually seals the views from the funeral hall and serves as a background for the bosquet. The eastern wall in front of the main entrance to the funeral hall shields the scattering meadow. The parking lot for cemetery visitors and ceremonies is positioned away from the path leading from the hall to the cemetery, allowing for a dignified continuation of the funeral into the cemetery. All pedestrian and vehicular surfaces are made of rolled screed. The path to the funeral hall is complemented by benches with integrated lighting.

MATERIAL AND STRUCTURAL SOLUTION OF THE BUILDING
The basic material of the building is brick masonry in its raw form. We chose this material with regard to its longevity and the art of aging. At the same time, it is a material well-known in the Czech environment, giving the building a comprehensible appearance. The interior of the hall is complemented by solid wooden elements and screed surfaces on the floors. The concrete ceilings in all parts of the funeral hall are left in their visible state. The load-bearing structures are made of reinforced concrete, and the outer shell is designed as a sandwich with inserted thermal insulation. Flat roofs are designed with a reversed order of layers. Brick tiles from the façade material are used as the final roof surface. The glass filling of the window from the hall is designed from coated glass with low solar radiation permeability.

OPERATION OF THE SERVICE PART
This part of the building is located in the basement. The basement is connected to the ground floor by a lift platform with access from both sides. The platform adjoins the loading area for funeral vehicles, which is located in a recess of the northern façade, sheltered from the bereaved. This solution also allows for the direct transfer of the coffin into the hall. The corridors are dimensioned to enable turning a trolley by 90 degrees. The office is illuminated by a light well.