Highgate Cemetery in north London is launching a search for designers and architects to help protect the historic site from the effects of climate change. The Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust is seeking creative solutions to address erosion of gravel paths, overwhelmed drainage systems, and damage to monuments caused by extreme weather.
The cemetery, a Grade I-listed site and the final resting place of figures such as Karl Marx and Lucian Freud, is also facing threats from new pests and diseases affecting its mature trees. The trust warns that these impacts are undermining the historic landscape design and reducing wildlife in the area.
Two open competitions will be held: one for landscape designers to create a masterplan, and another for an architect-led team to develop projects for preserving historic structures and improving facilities. The trust aims to maintain the cemetery's 'enchanting' atmosphere while ensuring its sustainable future as a green oasis.
Martin Adeney, chairman of the trust, said the goal is to better care for trees, paths, monuments, and buildings, while keeping the cemetery as an active burial ground and improving the visitor experience. The trust previously saved the cemetery from dereliction in the 1970s and now focuses on conservation for future generations.
