Introducing Exit Here, London’s next-generation funeral director breaking the taboos surrounding life and deathIt’s debut residence can be found on Chiswick High Road, London.It’s been said that nothing is certain except death and taxes. While successive governments try their best to ‘refresh’ the latter, little has been done to update the traditions surrounding funerals since the Victorian period.
Exit Here is the surprising brainchild of restaurateur Oliver Peyton and Transit Studio, and aims to open up funeral parlours; to make them accessible, contemporary, and, for want of a better word, less of a scary prospect. Having previously worked together refurbishing the RA Café, Peyton and Transit seem to have gone a little left-field with their next project.
Design is focussed on creating a more domestic environment. Inside, a large, curved corridor links two private meeting spaces — one set up as a living room and another a dining room — to the parlour’s ‘contemplation space’. A mix of modern and vintage furniture along with more cheerful colours and timber flooring add to the open, personal feel, while a folding timber screen for the windows has been designed by Giles Wilson-Copp to add privacy when requested.
The taboos surrounding death are passé, and like Peyton, Masterton-Smith is a firm believer in opening up the concept of death: ‘We hope that our work can help break down attitudes and taboos around talking about death, so that ultimately people can really choose how they would like to be remembered and celebrated.’ Exit right. §The Bitter Pill urns, in cobalt blue and glossy black
MerryChokani mphondak
Killer idea.