“The Bios Urn project reintroduces the human being to the natural circle of life.” It is a 100% biodegradable cremation urn that comes with a tree seed and is intended to be buried with the remains of your loved one. And over time, a tree will grow from it.
I really like this idea. It is very cute actually.
The design itself may be problematic thought, from a visual communications perspective. I don’t know how many people would like the idea of being buried inside a takeaway coffee cup and attendant hessian bag!
The paper cup shape does not say anything relevant to death and regrowth, nor does it reflect the solemnity around a funeral. If anything, it says cheap and disposable.
The “toilet man” icon is also inappropriate. It is coldly functional, sterile and impersonal. It can set a gender where there is no need to.
The replacement of the head with the recycle symbol is just that too light-hearted and silly. Yes, we are all made from the infinitely recycled material from stars. But do I really want to think about “recycling” when burying someone close to me?
Without redesigning the product, I would suggest the following as avenues for investigation and potential improvement:
- Consider a simpler, more austere form. Like a cylinder, sphere or cube.
- Consider a different finish that is less overtly “recyclable.” Perhaps a (sustainably grown) wood veneer.
- Maybe a bamboo tube? Smooth sanded and polished to make it into a severe cylinder, without any knobbly bits.
- Don’t bother with the hessian bag. If an outer container is needed, perhaps a simple box. Maybe with an etched pattern, and an inlaid (bamboo?) plaque which can engraved with the name of the deceased or some suitable message.
(Hat tip to Martin for this link.)