Natuurbegraafplaats Hillig meer

The problem

Hillig Meer is a natural burial ground in the woods of the Hondsrug in Drenthe, near Assen. Graves there are permanent and the land stays forest. Some visitors are planning ahead for themselves, others have just lost someone. The site has to give both the facts at their own pace without pushing.

Approach

I designed and built the site. The main menu has six items: natural burial, the burial ground, the funeral, guided tours, reserving a place and contact. A green bar above it holds the phone number and the secondary pages. The homepage opens with a large nature photo, the name, one line about a permanent resting place in Drenthe, and buttons to request a brochure, see an impression or book a personal tour. Below that, a short text explains what natural burial means, next to a list of its advantages. Further down, text and photo blocks alternate in green and brown, one subject per block. Inner pages have breadcrumbs, a search field and a side column with cards, for example for the newsletter.

Outcome

The site takes its colours from the forest and its photos from the burial ground itself. A visitor can read without being rushed, and each page offers a low-key next step: a brochure, a tour or a phone call.

What changed

• Six-item main menu plus a secondary bar with the phone number.
• Brochure, impression and personal tour as the first choices on the homepage.
• Content blocks in green and brown with photos of the burial ground.
• Search, breadcrumbs and a side column on inner pages.