Belvedere Gardens

Salem, VA

Mason Contractor: Jim Skiles
Architect: SMBW Architects PC

Project Description

This 2,500 crypt mausoleum and columbarium is located within a 110-acre cemetery in the southwest Virginia town of Salem.

To elevate this site to a sacred place we chose to suppress the presence of the new mausoleum so that the land and building were in harmony together. Influenced by the rich color of the soil, a blend of regionally quarried stone provides a warm counterpoint to the concrete structure. A mix of irregular field stones define secondary site and retaining walls while a more refined cut stone milled in Tennessee encapsulates the crypts.