Mausoleum For Two / Cristian Yazigi

Architects: Cristian Yazigi
Area: 12 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Pablo Casals
Lead Architect: Cristian Yazigi
Engineering and Construction: Oscar Heresmann – Hinco Heresmann Ingenieria y Construcción
Stone Sculptor: Oscar Plandiura
Quarrier: Juan Vergara
Structural Calculations: Alex Popp
Excavation: Willie Godoy
Site Management: Juan Rodriguez
Construction Site Assistance: Ramon Pichuman
City: Recoleta
Country: Chile

Mausoleum for Two, a memorial project designed by Cristian Yazigi in Recoleta, Chile, transforms a 12 m² plot in Santiago’s General Cemetery into a space of enduring significance. Commissioned by a couple celebrating 59 years together, the mausoleum uses stone, concrete, and metal sheets to symbolize protection and timelessness. Polished basalt blocks, sourced from local quarries, form the core of this 7-ton structure, creating underground niches for future caskets. The design, defined by four main elements, encloses a contemplative space reflecting past memories and the couple’s enduring unity. Completed in 2023, this project stands as a lasting tribute to a lifelong partnership.

A couple celebrating 59 years together commissioned their mausoleum in Santiago’s General Cemetery, specifically in Patio No. 61. The 12 m² site, measuring 3.75m x 3.20m, uses materials like stone, concrete, and metal sheets, symbolizing protection and endurance. Locally quarried basalt stone, sculpted by artisans and transported 11 kilometers, forms the mausoleum. Seven tons of stone rest on retaining walls, creating two underground niches for future caskets.

The mausoleum’s central location maintains a setback from adjacent tombs, defined by four elements: two vertical and two horizontal. These boundaries create an enclosed space for gathering and contemplation. Inside, polished stone blocks reflect visitors, symbolically bridging the present with past memories. Outside, the stones’ raw finish represents two unique bodies.

The 3-ton blocks construct a coherent, enduring form, representing the couple’s unity. Each texture conveys different meanings, linking the project’s physical and symbolic weight. The mausoleum stands as a testament to the couple’s lifelong bond and their future rest side by side.