Malmö morgue

Malmö is one of Sweden’s largest cities, and its morgue is designed to be a neutral space welcoming everyone, regardless of religion, age, or social standing. It serves as a serene environment for relatives to bid a final farewell. The project is part of the new Malmö Hospital Area and includes a new building as well as an upgrade of the morgue alongside the existing chapel.

180 nationalities will say goodbye here

Anyone registered in Malmö who passes away—regardless of where they are in the world—will come to Malmö morgue. The building is designed to accommodate around 180 different nationalities from Malmö on equal terms. Throughout the project, the city’s residents, users, funeral directors, and employees were engaged in workshops to ensure a building that welcomes all. Creating a religiously neutral space was particularly important, where people of varying backgrounds, ages, and beliefs can gather. Symbols or elements associated with specific religions have been deliberately avoided—even in the building’s exterior and materials.

New, preserved, and sustainable on three levels

The building has three levels. At the rear, the top floor houses a technical room, deliberately distanced from the chapel. The basement contains rooms with body refrigerators for deceased storage. The ground floor is where farewells take place, in viewing rooms and washing rooms. Additionally, there are offices for employees and workspaces, along with a garage for funeral directors.

The older chapel connected to the morgue has been preserved. Internally, old brick walls have been maintained and highlighted. Artistic features have been integrated into the building, serving not only as aesthetic elements but also offering privacy, contrast marking, and improved orientation. The new materials used also emphasize sustainability. Granite flooring, oak, and raw concrete are materials chosen for their longevity and dignified aging over time. Malmö Morgue is the first in Sweden to use Azengar zinc panels, a material that shimmers with the changing weather and light conditions.

People express their grief in different ways, and there must be room for this.

Calm vegetation in views

Designing modern spaces for farewells is no easy task. Integrating the older chapel into the new morgue made the challenge even greater. However, small adjustments can significantly change what a building conveys, with inspiration drawn from spaces like art galleries rather than religious structures.

“The room shapes in the morgue differ from traditional religious spaces. We’ve worked to remove the focus from the former altar, which was central, and been careful not to introduce any new religious directions. A common example is marking a direction toward Mecca, which we deliberately avoided,” says Helena Beckman, lead architect.

“Lighting is another crucial design component. Window shapes and placements were studied carefully to bring natural light and beautiful views into the rooms, while maintaining privacy in the viewing rooms. For instance, if light comes from above, it evokes something divine, which we wanted to avoid. The focus should be on the deceased, with opportunities for soothing views of vegetation or the sky,” Helena Beckman continues.

Grief takes different forms

To create a calm, contemplative atmosphere, we chose materials that age naturally and beautifully and have long lifespans. The public spaces on the entry-level floor include viewing rooms where loved ones can say goodbye.

“Someone may need to stay for a long time, and others should be able to sit and chat without disturbing them,” says Helena Beckman. There should also be a waiting room or consultation room directly connected to the viewing rooms, offering a place for quiet retreat.

Different cultures may have different needs. Sometimes, for instance, a large number of people gather for farewells, necessitating separate entrances and exits to avoid crowding. People express their grief in various ways, and there must be space for this. Malmö’s new morgue provides just that.