ABSTRACT
In ever growing populated world there is no enough space to accommodate the remains of the deceased, so the concept of capsula mundi has been developed by Italian designers Anna Cielli and Raoul Bretzel. Capsula mundi is an organic burial pod made of natural starch plastic in which body of deceased is placed in foetal position that nurture tree seeds as the body break downs. The natural decomposition process feeds the tree above, and over time, burial spaces can be transformed from bleak graveyards into inhabited memorial forests. As the burial space grows and more trees are added, the area transforms into sacred woodland, bodies are returned to the natural world from which they came, and barren land can be reforested. This is just a conceptual design right now as burial legislation is being revisited around the world, but hopefully in the near future it can turn to reality. Biodegradable burial pods could save our planet, as they are the ultimate eco-friendly statement. The release of various nutrients and its uptake by the plant for its growth and metabolism is discussed with some information on biodegradable materials that can be used for the designing of the capsula.
