Del recinto cerrado al espacio urbano vivo: propuesta del cementerio contemporáneo de Baños, Cuenca

Abstract

This research examines the operational saturation of the “Baños” Parish cemetery, located in Cuenca, Azuay. The study evidences capacity limitations, lack of available land, and the risk of overcrowding. This situation requires a rethinking funerary infrastructure through a contemporary approach. Consequently, it must move beyond the closed-enclosure typology and incorporate sustainable and sociocultural value criteria to integrate into the urban fabric. The expansion proposal aims to optimize land use and transform the funerary space. The research employs a mixed-methods approach with a design-oriented focus; it considers the total population of 7,654 inhabitants in the “La Unión” neighborhood and determines a sample size of 160 respondents, allowing for the identification of user perceptions, needs, and intervention factors. As a result, the proposal develops a park-cemetery that integrates memory, landscape, and the city. Through controlled densification on terraced platforms and the incorporation of leachate collection and treatment systems, it transforms the cemetery into a living urban space. In this way, it is functionally and symbolically integrated into its surroundings, improving environmental quality and enhancing the cultural mourning practices.