three cemeteries emerge between stone walls and mountain horizons in the carnic alps

Federico Mentil’s Architecture of Remembrance in the Carnic Alps

In three Alpine villages within the municipality of Paluzza, near the Austrian border, architect Federico Mentil reinterprets the design of cremation spaces through a series of interventions that integrate columbaria into existing cemetery structures and their mountainous surroundings. The project addresses the challenge of introducing spaces for cremated remains into historic cemeteries, where columbaria are often added as prefabricated structures along boundary walls. Across the But Valley in the Carnic Alps, Mentil develops three site-specific solutions for the cemeteries of Timau-Cleulis, Paluzza, and Rivo, treating the storage of ashes as part of the cemetery’s architectural language rather than as an isolated addition.

Located at the edges of their respective villages, the three cemeteries share a common relationship with the surrounding landscape. Their stone perimeter walls establish a separation from the immediate surroundings while directing views toward the mountain ridges of the valley, including the Pizzo Timau outcrop. Within this framework of stone, thresholds, and framed views, each intervention responds to the specific spatial conditions of its site.

Arch. Federico Mentil, Rivo Columbarium, 2026, Rivo | all images © Alessandra Bello

Marble, stone, and Mountain Views Shape Three Alpine Cemeteries

At Timau-Cleulis, the columbarium is inserted into the vestibule that terminates the cemetery’s main axis. Previously an open and unused space defined by a large arch facing the valley, the area is transformed into a transitional space between the cemetery and the mortuary chamber. A larch timber structure wraps the volume of the ossuary, reducing the scale of the tall vestibule and introducing a more intimate relationship with the white Carrara marble cremation niches. The entrance to the mortuary chamber is defined by a dark steel threshold that passes through the funerary structure itself. A raised platform containing communal ashes is positioned on one side of the space, while a concrete bench establishes a viewing point toward the vertical rock formations of Pizzo dei Camosci and Pizzo Timau. The columbarium combines memorial functions with a space for pause, observation, and gathering.

At the Paluzza cemetery, the intervention occupies a previously unused slope located between two different levels of the site. Instead of introducing a freestanding structure, the project uses the existing topography to define the form of the columbarium. Two parallel walls follow the slope: one functions as a lower parapet, while the other rises with the terrain. Cremation niches sealed with Carrara marble slabs are arranged in two rows along the walls, creating a linear composition integrated into the landscape. A narrow planted strip runs above the niches, designed with native species that will gradually develop into spontaneous vegetation. The planting strategy allows the landscape to evolve over time rather than defining a fixed final appearance.

At Rivo, the project by architect Federico Mentil consists of two complementary interventions inside and outside the cemetery walls. The existing ossuary, previously containing niches housed in grey metal cabinets, is redesigned as a quieter memorial space. The new niches are positioned along the wall facing the entrance and sealed with Carrara marble slabs supported by reinforced concrete infill. A small existing window is transformed into a focal point for prayer, while light entering through the entrance door, shaped by a cross-like opening, defines the atmosphere of the interior. Outside the cemetery walls, a new reinforced concrete structure organizes the undefined space between the entrance and parking area. The bush-hammered surface retains visible formwork joints, creating a textured finish intended to weather over time and gradually integrate with the existing stone architecture. A large opening frames views toward the valley, creating a contrast between the solid marble surfaces associated with remembrance and the open landscape beyond. The absence of a roof connects the space directly with the sky, reinforcing the relationship between the cemetery, landscape, and ritual.

Arch. Federico Mentil, Rivo Columbarium, detail, 2026, Rivo

Architecture in Dialogue with Time, Landscape, and Remembrance

Across the three interventions, Mentil establishes a consistent material language based on Carrara marble, stone, timber, steel, and concrete. The marble slabs provide a shared identity for the cremation niches, while steel elements introduce markers of memory and ritual. The projects also share an emphasis on landscape as an active component of cemetery design. Rather than separating the memorial spaces from their surroundings, the interventions frame views, incorporate vegetation, and allow materials to change through weathering and natural processes. Through the trilogy of cemeteries, the architecture of cremation is integrated into existing sacred landscapes through precise interventions shaped by site conditions, material durability, and the gradual transformation of space over time.

Arch. Federico Mentil, Rivo Columbarium, detail, window framing views towards the village, 2026, Rivo

Arch. Federico Mentil, Rivo Columbarium, 2026, Rivo

Arch. Federico Mentil, Rivo Columbarium, 2026, Rivo

Arch. Federico Mentil, Rivo Columbarium, detail, principal elevation, 2026, Rivo

Arch. Federico Mentil, detail, transition between the existing cemetery and the new Columbarium, 2026, Rivo

Arch. Federico Mentil, Rivo Columbarium, detail, zenithal opening, 2026, Rivo

Arch. Federico Mentil, Paluzza Columbarium, view from the lower part of the cemetery, 2026, Paluzza

Arch. Federico Mentil, Paluzza Columbarium, steel votive candle stand, 2026, Paluzza

Arch. Federico Mentil, Paluzza Columbarium, steel votive candle stand, 2026, Paluzza

Arch. Federico Mentil, Paluzza Columbarium, detail of the transition between the two levels, 2026, Paluzza

Arch. Federico Mentil, Timau Columbarium, larch wood canopy and mortuary chamber entrance, 2026, Timau-Cleulis

Arch. Federico Mentil, Timau Columbarium, larch wood canopy and mortuary chamber entrance, 2026, Timau-Cleulis

Arch. Federico Mentil, Timau Columbarium, view towards Pizzo dei Camosci and Timau, 2026, Timau-Cleulis

project info:

name: Trilogy of Cemeteries
architect: Arch. Federico Mentil | @federico.mentil

client: Municipality of Paluzza (Udine), Italy

location: Udine, Italy

photographer: Alessandra Bello | @ab_alessandrabello_fotografia

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edited by: Christina Vergopoulou | designboom

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