Architecture firm 182 Design has completed an extraordinary memorial project called 'Sanctum of Trees' in Tamil Nadu, India, creating a contemplative stone structure that serves as a 'spiritual threshold' rather than a traditional monument. The memorial features a striking contrast between its tactile stone exterior and a deep red concrete interior designed to symbolize the human heart.

The project was commissioned by the son of a philanthropist who had dedicated his lifetime to transforming a 35-acre farmland near the city of Erode into a thriving forest. Rather than honoring his father through conventional means, the client sought to celebrate the environmental legacy and the father's profound love of trees through this unique architectural tribute.

'The client wanted to honor his father not through a statue or inscription, but by celebrating the forest he had planted,' explained Lokesh PB, the studio's founder. 'We wanted the design to embody ideas of reverence, regeneration and quiet presence, more like a spiritual threshold than a built monument.' The memorial sits within a small clearing surrounded by existing trees and features a pebbled area that enhances the natural setting.

The entrance to the memorial is marked by a curved section of stone wall, leading visitors to the cubic structure. A deep entrance made of weathered steel projects from the eastern side of the memorial, creating a dramatic threshold that will age naturally over time. This entrance leads through a short, curving path into a circular courtyard that draws inspiration from a Karuvarai, which is the innermost sanctum found in Tamil temples.

The material choices reflect deep symbolic meaning and practical considerations for the forest environment. The stone exterior was selected to blend harmoniously with the surrounding forest while conveying a sense of resilience and permanence. In stark contrast, the interior surfaces are finished with concrete render stained a bold, deep red color, creating an emotionally powerful space that evokes the human heart.

'We used stone for the exterior to convey stillness and permanence, while the interior surfaces are cast in red-stained concrete to evoke a raw, emotional depth, a subtle reference to the human heart,' PB explained. 'The threshold is fabricated out of raw steel, which will weather and age, much like the surrounding trees. The materials are all intended to shift subtly over time, allowing the structure to mature in harmony with the forest.'

At the heart of the memorial stands an Adansonia digitata tree, commonly known as the 'tree of life,' which serves as what the studio describes as the 'emotional anchor' of the project. This carefully selected tree was planted in the center of the courtyard and will gradually grow over time to fill and eventually emerge from the space, creating a living monument that evolves with the passing years.

'[The tree] replaces the idea of a statue or shrine with a living, growing presence,' PB noted. 'Over time, it will grow to embrace the structure, keeping the father's memory alive – not in stone, but through life itself. We hope the structure stands as a poignant reminder that nature will outlast and transcend the manmade.'

This memorial project reflects a broader trend in Tamil Nadu architecture where trees play central roles in design. Other recent projects in the region include a home by Prithvi Architects in Shoolagiri, which features mud walls wrapping around Neem and Guava trees, and an international school completed by Vastushilpa Sangath with a distinctive banana leaf-shaped roof.

The Sanctum of Trees represents a thoughtful approach to memorial architecture that prioritizes environmental harmony and spiritual reflection over traditional monumentality. By integrating natural elements with carefully chosen materials that will age alongside the forest, 182 Design has created a space that honors both human legacy and the enduring power of nature.