Designed by Sir Dawber, Fox and Robinson, Medway Crematorium was completed in 1959 during the boom in crematorium building that followed the Cremation Act of 1952. The works were made necessary by the DEFRA requirement for mercury to be abated for at least 50% of all cremations carried out, as well as local demographic and cultural changes which have led to larger numbers of mourners attending cremation services (although the number of services have remained constant over the years). The works involved: - Extending and doubling the seating capacity of the east and west chapels - Alterations to the existing plant room and flat roof to house replacement cremators, mercury abatement equipment, cooling and associated plant. These include the insertion of a mezzanine floor, strengthening of structural roof slab, widening of structural openings (for the larger cremator and wider coffins), and screening of mechanical plant from view at roof level. - Installation of mercury abatement plant and replacing of existing cremators with fuel efficient plant to prolong the useful life of the crematorium - Additional car parking The X plan of the existing building, location of cremated remains on site, and sight lines to the catafalque led to the specific geometry of the chapel extensions, designed and crafted to provide natural light and passive stack ventilation (natural ventilation is detailed with 500mm deep acoustic baffles to screen out motorway noise from the nearby M2).