Beyond the Grave—Memorialisation Symposium

This program is presented in collaboration with Open House Melbourne as part of Melbourne Design week.

Expanding on Open House Melbourne's Six Feet Under program as part of Melbourne Design Week 2024, Beyond the Grave moves from the cemetery to explore the evolving relationships between memory, place, and identity in the context of death, culture, commemoration, and urban planning.

Across the symposium, experts examine how spaces—whether steeped in historical significance, tied to cultural narratives, or embedded within the urban landscape—serve as powerful touchstones for our personal and collective understanding of mortality and memory.

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Program

1pm—2pm
MEMORIALISATION AND PLANNING: THE INTERSECTION OF MEMORY, SPACE, AND IDENTITY

Join Amy Muir and Professor Philip Goad in conversation as they explore the powerful relationship between memorial spaces and city planning. They’ll delve into how iconic memorials—like Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance—serve not only as symbols of collective memory but also as integral parts of a city’s design and identity.

The conversation will examine the challenges urban planners face in designing cities that respect and preserve the significance of these spaces, including the planning restrictions that protect them. How do memorials like the Shrine influence the surrounding environment, and how are they integrated into the broader fabric of the city?

2pm—3pm
THE UNCERTAINTIES OF OUR GREATEST CERTAINTY—HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?

Death is a certainty in life but, for many of us, the details of how we want to be remembered aren’t quite as clear. GMCT wants to better understand peoples’ concerns, thoughts, and feelings about death by inviting participants to join an interactive, creative activation that encourages open dialogue about what you have (and have not) planned for when you die.

Through engaging conversations and hands-on activities, participants will be tasked with answering some of life’s less answered questions about just how prepared they are for their final curtain call. This participatory experience is designed to spark reflection, foster connection, and gather valuable feedback on individual preferences and attitudes about how you want to be remembered.

Your thoughts will inform GMCT’s future initiatives, ensuring they resonate with the diverse desires and beliefs of the community.

Light afternoon tea provided

3pm—4pm
MEMORIAL LANDSCAPES: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF MEMORIALISATION

Memorial spaces have long functioned as places for personal reflection and communal gathering, but as societies evolve, so too must the ways in which we honour and remember. What role do traditional memorial spaces play in facilitating memorialisation on both an individual and societal level? How can they address the contemporary needs of the individuals, communities and societies—such as accessibility, cultural inclusion, and technological advances—without compromising their integrity?

This conversation will consider how our experience and practice of memorialisation shifts between personal ritual and communal traditions of remembrance in response to past, ongoing and future conflicts or loss, and what opportunities there are to reimagine memorialisation into the future. Speakers examine tension between the layers of memorialisation to explore the intersection of tradition and new thinking, and how memorial spaces can balance honouring the past with embracing the future to meet the needs of those they serve.

4.45pm
LAST POST SERVICE

The symposium ends with an opportunity for guests to stay and experience the Shrine’s weekly Last Post Service. This service features stirring bugle calls, wreath-laying, and the lowering of flags, creating a poignant moment for visitors of all ages to reflect and connect.

SPEAKERS

First Panel

• Amy Muir, Director, MUIR Architecture
• Professor Phillip Goad, Chair of Architect, University of Melbourne

Second Panel

• Carlo Missio, Senior Associate Designer, GMCT
• Sam Holleran, DeathTech Research Team
• More speakers to be confirmed