Lakewood Cemetery Welcome Gardens

The Lakewood Welcome Gardens reimagine liminal ground as inclusive cultural infrastructure rooted in care and collective belonging. Located at the threshold between city and cemetery, the project establishes a new district and framework for future growth, transforming a former maintenance area into an immersive series of gardens. The design re-grounds Lakewood in the garden, breaking from the lawn plan to restore lost layers of ecology and meaning. Through expanded sensory experience and spaces of abundance for humans and nonhumans, it reconnects people to the site’s history, water, and evolving rituals, welcoming all into a shared landscape of reflection and community.