The Haley Funeral in Southfield, Michigan, was designed in 1960 and completed in 1961. With its steep, hipped, overhanging roofs which express the function and location of the three main chapels within, the Haley Funeral Home recalls the traditional cemetery structures of the architect’s Nordic heritage. The sheltering eaves and narrow, projecting windows contribute to the psychological sense of serenity, protection and separation engendered by the design. Although the symmetry of this building reflects the influence of Minoru Yamasaki in Mr. Birkerts’ earliest work, a study of later projects in the Gunnar Birkerts and Associates Collection will show a gradual progression towards his signature, organic asymmetry of design.
