Transcendence is a subterranean columbarium rooted in the heart of downtown Tokyo’s Sinjuku district. The project memorializes the deceased through the introduction and manipulation of light and nature beneath the city streets. 

The existing plaza is transformed into a sculptural garden with the emerging forms taking inspiration from mountains as a powerful religious symbol. The columbarium channels light into three main halls below that provide a distinctly different user experience and interaction with nature. Collectively, the reflection zones all serve to temporarily severe the connection between the user and the city and offer a respite from reality. Unlike a traditional cemetery, which may serve as a reminder of human mortality, Transcendence playfully interacts with the surrounding cityscape and provides a totally knew approach to the infamous pocket cemetery.