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This is how DELA is reshaping farewell: a different perspective on death.

Saying goodbye affects us all. Yet many funeral venues were designed around protection and enclosure. DELA recognised that this need is changing. Where walls once offered a sense of safety, there is now a growing desire for light, space and connection. In renovating its crematoria, DELA wanted to make this truly felt by the guests.

The process

The process

Saying goodbye calls for more than a functional space. It calls for calmness, openness and meaning. What helps people in moments of loss? What kind of environment offers support, without having to explain itself? And how do you design a place that just feels right? It begins with listening to what people need on an unconscious level.
What remained unseen?

Although there is extensive experience in organising funerals, DELA found it difficult to clearly understand what truly helps guests at such moments.

Which elements in a space create a sense of calm? What gives people the opportunity to step back, reflect and take a breath? These are needs that are not easily captured in assumptions or standard designs.

What did they do differently?

During the renovation of Maaslanden crematorium in Nieuwkuijk, nothing remained except the walls. DELA used this moment to redesign not only the building, but also the experience. Instead of relying on assumptions or scores, DELA chose to listen. Not through questionnaires, but through the stories of guests. Together with Forum Research, the emotions, images and associations of visitors were explored to understand what truly resonates beneath the surface.

What did we uncover?

Together with Forum Research, DELA started at the experience of guests. Not with numbers, but with stories.

Guests shared their feelings, images and associations around saying goodbye. This made visible what people unconsciously need in an intense and vulnerable moment, and the role the physical environment plays in that experience.

One insight stood out clearly: people want to be able to look outside.

Seeing nature helps them pause, take a breath, find calm and create space for reflection. What seems like a simple element proved to be of great significance in the farewell.

Creating movement

The insights were translated directly into the renovation of two crematoria. Walls were opened up and replaced with glass, allowing for more daylight, openness and a stronger connection between inside and outside.

These choices are not only visible, but also felt in the experience of guests. The renewed environment demonstrably aligns more closely with what people need at the moment of saying goodbye.

This is also reflected in the results:

At Heezervenne, the Net Emotional Value (NEV) increased by +26 points.

At Maaslanden, it increased by as much as +37 points.

For DELA, these insights provide confidence: investments are grounded in what truly moves people. For guests, this creates a place where they feel welcome, understood and supported, and where they can say goodbye in peace.

Insight into behaviour-shaping factors

Beyond NPS. What’s next?

NPS tells only half the story. Behind every score lies an unseen world of emotions, doubts and drivers that shape customer behaviour. This whitepaper shows how to uncover that deep layer. For organisations that don’t just want to measure, but truly want to listen, understand and create change.
Behavioral change
Subconscious
Emotions
Download white paper
Download white paper
“Forum truly thinks along with you and understands what you want as a client. Their approach is accessible, professional and insightful. They bring the true guest experience to light.”
Dela
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