Designed to Die 

DESIGN: Janek Beau

Germany

make me! 2024

2nd place make me! Design Award [ex aequo] and a cash prize of PLN 10.000

The urn created from the work Designed to Die picks up on the importance of an urn burial for relatives as well as for the deceased person. It emphasizes the necessity of giving a loved one a respectful burial and underscores the crucial role of the urn in this process. 

The urn is made of pure biodegradable soy wax and consists of a cylinder with the ashes and a plate with candles that hold the urn on a ring above the urn grave. The candles placed on the outside contain up to four wicks and are first lit over the urn grave. Within 45 minutes, they burn down to the point where the urn no longer has a hold on the ring and falls into the urn grave. To ensure this, the wicks from the candles in the bottom of the outer section are arranged in a circle around the urn inside. Unlike traditional urn burials, the funeral service is now held directly at the grave next to the urn, rather than in the funeral hall, giving the bereaved the opportunity to keep them in good memory.