For Memorial Cemetery Committee of St. John’s Church

The cemetery bears historical importance as an 1862 rural cemetery with 1918 to 1926 Olmsted Brothers plans, plot design and execution. Heritage Landscapes was initially commissioned to develop comprehensive cemetery landscape management guidelines for greater harmony in Olmsted character. The effort continued with a design and construction undertaking for columbarium expansion. Our works included:  

• Research and study cemetery evolution and Olmsted Brothers constructed landscapes
• Prepare management guidelines by area for cohesion in an Olmsted character
• Make efficient use of an open, unplotted area of the cemetery
• Innovate for a terrabarium harmonizing earthwork, stonework and planting 
• Design a burial landscape with universal access for the community
• Create an interment area for ease of maintenance, and hand operations, not heavy machinery

The planning effort required that the Landscape Architects understand the evolution of the cemetery as well as the cultural and design influences that shaped the landscape over the 150 years. The well-received landscape management guidelines are incrementally bringing greater cohesion to the cemetery landscape. The cemetery was reaching columbarium capacity and had unplotted areas for expansion. Acknowledging contemporary burial practices favoring cremains, Heritage Landscapes proposed multiple solutions. The MCSJ community chose a "terrabarium," a term Heritage Landscapes developed for an in-ground columbarium, inspired by the character-defining features of the Olmsted Brothers landscape. We prepared  design through construction documents and oversaw bidding and construction operations with the MCSJ superintendent, completing this creative project to add 400 burial sites. 

St. John's Church Memorial Cemetery Historic Landscape Management Guide, Columbarium Concept Alternatives, Terrabarium design, documents and construction administration

Heritage Landscapes, for Terrabarium collaboration with John Papa, MCSJC Superintendent

"The Nov 1st Terrabarium opening event had a great turnout with lots of enthusiast church members charmed by the completed project."