The Palo Pinto Cemetery project received the 2023 Texas Society of Architects Studio Award.
Thank you to jurors Neil Denari, FAIA, of NMDA, Los Angeles; Anand Devarajan of Anand Devarajan Architecture, Los Angeles; Friedrich Ludewig of ACME, London; and Mónica Ponce de León, AIA, of MPdL Studio, Princeton.
The Palo Pinto Cemetery is a place for peace, healing, and remembrance.
Conceptually located on 25 acres at the outer edge of Mineral Wells in Palo Pinto County, Texas, the Palo Pinto Cemetery is a 12,000 square foot series of structures which primarily functions as a cemetery and memorial park, focusing on the remembrance of loved ones and the well-being of visitors in need of healing.
The cemetery consists of a welcoming circular sanctuary for memorial services, a series of pavilion (columbarium) structures with inbuilt niche spaces housing cremation urns, storage and restroom facility for visitors, and an anchoring memorial tree garden. Various seating components are strategically scattered throughout the site, surrounded by native plantings and shade trees.
Sustainable building components are a driving factor in the overall design, with emphasis on natural lighting, rainwater collection, solar energy, and green roof construction. The overall facility primarily consists of mass timber construction and native stone.
The Palo Pinto Cemetery is not just a final resting place, but also a setting where a deeper level of peace and healing can take place.