What role does the cemetery play for generations Z and Y? This is one of the questions we ask in STEIN 11/24. This much in advance: it should be rethought. Churches are also undergoing change, having been converted into residential buildings in the face of increasing numbers of people leaving the church. Architecturally attractive and a real asset in places like Eltville and Trier. What helps in processes of change are good ideas. We present a cemetery in Berlin that offers grave sponsorships so that old graves can still be maintained and restored.
Cemetery of the new generation
Generations Y and Z see it as a place of new confidence and social well-being. We are talking about the cemetery. Its role in the future was the subject of an exciting panel discussion during this year’s Stone+tec. Futurologist Matthias Horx summarized the outcome: “It is time to rethink cemeteries as a whole: as spaces for people to say goodbye and for community.” A task for everyone involved in death, mourning and coping with it.
Working for your own grave
This also includes keeping an eye on costs. In Berlin, for example, the Old St. Matthew’s Churchyard is a listed building. Here, sponsors are now being sought who will take care of the old gravesites, maintain and restore them so that they can later find their own final resting place there. This can sometimes be quite expensive. Our author Inge Pett was there and visited the cemetery and some of its famous “residents”. She spoke to the association that came up with the idea for this unusual project. Read more on page 6.
New church garb
Churches in Germany also need to be viewed from a different perspective. With the number of people leaving the church continuing to rise, both the Catholic and Protestant churches need to find new ways of dealing with their abandoned places of worship. One possibility is to convert them into living space. From page 22 onwards, you can find out how this can be done structurally.
Nature also has constant transformation processes over long periods of time in its repertoire. Our natural stone expert Detlev Hill explains how split quartzite becomes block quartzite from page 52 onwards.
Keeping air and water clean
Clean air and clean water are desirable in any stonemasonry business. However, this is not so easy to guarantee in the workshop. Air purification systems and water treatment systems can help. Our machine expert Michael Spohr explains what you should look out for when buying one from page 32 onwards.
We hope you enjoy reading STEIN.
Your STEIN editorial team Redaktion@stein-magazin.de
The magazine is available here!
In our last issue 10/24, we take a look at the Marmomac trade fair. Read more about it here.
