Cemeteries of Tomorrow – Webinar 01
FULL VIDEO: Generating Financial Sustainability
How can cemeteries evolve into resilient, community-centred, environmentally responsible places of remembrance?
This webinar explores the future of cemetery design and management through three key focus areas—supported by global case studies, practical frameworks, and real operational insights.
This session is part of the Cemeteries of Tomorrow series presented by Meso Space, a research-driven collaborative studio focused on reimagining places of remembrance for future generations.
🔎 What This Webinar Covers
Section 1 – From Burial Plots to Mixed-Use Memorial Parks
Presented by Dr Gelareh Holden
This section reframes traditional cemeteries as dynamic, multifunctional landscapes that serve both memory and community. Drawing on examples from Australia and around the world, Dr Holden explores how cemeteries can integrate cafés, gardens, walking paths, play areas, art spaces, and cultural programs to create places people return to—not just visit once.
Learn how design-led activation builds emotional connection, diversifies revenue, increases visitation, and strengthens long-term financial resilience.
Section 2 – Life Cycle Costing in Cemetery Design
Presented by Dr Armin Mehdipour
Cemeteries face rising maintenance costs and ageing infrastructure. This section introduces life cycle costing (LCC) as a powerful tool for smarter, evidence-based planning. Dr Mehdipour explains how LCC helps cemetery operators evaluate the full financial life span of assets—from capital works to long-term operational costs, maintenance needs, and renewal cycles.
Through practical examples, he demonstrates how LCC supports:
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Sustainable budgeting
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Strategic investment
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Risk reduction
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Clearer prioritisation of upgrades
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Improved long-term financial stability
Section 3 – Reuse & Reallocation of Grave Spaces
Presented by Dr Hamed Tavakoli
As land availability decreases, many countries now employ structured, respectful grave reuse models. This section examines international approaches—from European tenure systems to the “lift and deepen” method in the UK and South Australia—and how these practices can extend cemetery capacity while honouring cultural, legal, and ethical expectations.
Dr Tavakoli unpacks the policy frameworks, community engagement processes, operational requirements, and governance considerations needed to implement reuse responsibly and transparently.
🌱 Why This Webinar Matters
Cemeteries are facing unprecedented pressures—land scarcity, changing burial preferences, rising operational costs, and community expectations for greener, more accessible spaces. This webinar provides a clear, actionable toolkit for cemetery operators, planners, landscape architects, policy makers, and designers seeking to build resilient, sustainable, community-focused cemeteries for the future.
🎙 Presented By
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Dr Gelareh Holden – Designer & Researcher
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Dr Armin Mehdipour – Urban Planner & Policy Specialist
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Dr Hamed Tavakoli – Landscape Architect & Researcher
Hosted by Meso Space (est. 2022): a collaborative studio dedicated to designing meaningful, innovative, and sustainable spaces of remembrance.