portal beautiful by ispresso from usa

portal beautiful: Life and death communication as something beautiful and poetic.
Engaging, awaiting, sense of beauty in yearning, “portal beautiful” seeks to redefine relationship between physical space and bereavement by creating a place where one can be embraced, be able to communicate and engage with their loved ones who went ahead.

There are three components.
The Place: Symbolic stance for oneself. The place is always here. I am always here. A place for you and me.
Water: The deceased, your loved one who went ahead.
Sand: Medium to write and hold till your loved one comes and reads your message.

“portal beautiful” offers an inner space of contemplation and bereavement and a space where outward ritual of death and bereavement can take place. Ceremonies and or ash scattering can be scheduled to allow intense personal and private moments and at other times, collective experiences of departure and remembrance can be practiced as friends and family of the deceased gather to collectively greet the water and the open sky and write message of love.

During low tide, one can write a message of love, dialogue. Upon return later in the day or the year, the message would have been read and carried out by their loved ones (water).
During high tide, water enters and greets friends and families. Inside the water, the pressure of the water exerted can provide a sense of touch and embrace of the deceased.

Use of space within “portal beautiful” influences the way we grieve by offering space for privacy, opportunity for embrace, opportunity to communicate, and to encourage hopeful future. Architecture extends out to the ocean and its gesture dips down into water and ascends back up to the sky, creating an outwardly portal into the sky encouraging one to view out.

Architecture of two elongated stone slab embedded in the sand with roof which ascends to the sky. Polished stone reflects the surrounding environment as to create visually cohesive façade. Thin reveal openings are set to receive light and to pass through the light. It is highly polished as to reflect and capture the light to provide a sense of progression and time. Importantly light passing through are intended to reach the face and bodies of the family and friends as to replicate the warmth, the presence of the one who went ahead.

A place to mourn, a place to remember, place to gather and a place to communicate. This is “portal beautiful”.