The Living Coffin: A Sustainable Death Experience

Designs On— Global Warming

By Arvind Gutpa

Grieving the loss of a loved one is a difficult journey we all sooner or later come to experience. The Living Coffin concept responds to this emotional challenge by transforming a burial site into a living memorial. The idea is to grow a maple tree on-site, allowing it to become one with the deceased, enabling the essence of the person to entwine with the life force of the tree. Over time, an entire cemetery of Living Coffins transforms into a city park that encourages leisure while also celebrating the legacy of lost loved ones.

The Living Coffin is made of a biodegradable starch that provides food for the maple tree seeds embedded within its walls. Upon burial, the seeds begin to decompose and provide nutrients to the surrounding trees.