Olson Kundig recently unveiled the design of the world’s first facility for “natural organic reduction,” a process that gently converts human remains into soil in about 30 days. The project was designed in partnership with, and for, Recompose, the company that offers this natural organic reduction service.
Dubbed Recompose|SEATTLE, the 18,500-sf facility will be built in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood (Washington became the first in the world to legalize this process for the disposition of human remains in April of this year). This third alternative to traditional burials and cremations uses one-eighth the energy of cremation and saves one metric ton of carbon dioxide per person. About one cubic yard of soil is created per person. Friends and family can take some or all of the soil home to grow a tree or garden, with the rest going to nourish conservation land in the Puget Sound region.
The Recompose process is centered around individual natural organic reduction vessels that transform the human remains into clean, usable soil. About 75 of these vessels will be stacked and arranged via a modular system to create a central gathering space in the core of the facility.
See Also: Kisawa Sanctuary will be a luxury resort 3D printed from sand
While it may sound a bit macabre at first, the facility is designed to be bright and open, with an emphasis on nature, which makes sense, considering nature was the basis for the recomposition process. “We asked ourselves how we could use nature, which has perfected the life-death cycle, as a model for human death care,” said Katriba Spade, Founder and CE, Recompose, in a release. “We saw an opportunity for this profound moment to both give back to the earth and reconnect us with thee natural cycles.”
The facility is slated to open in spring 2021.
Related Stories
| Sep 7, 2012
The keys to success in the K-12 school market
When educators and school administrators describe their vision for new K-12 school buildings as ‘21st-century learning spaces,’ they’re not exaggerating. Many new schools are truly different in concept from their counterparts of only a few years ago.
| Aug 2, 2012
BD+C University: PVC Single-Plies as Sustainable Roofing Systems
You can earn 1.0 AIA credit + HSW + SD by taking this course.
| Jul 2, 2012
Plumosa School of the Arts earns LEED Gold
Education project dedicated to teaching sustainability in the classroom.
| Jun 22, 2012
USGBC Joins Six Major Organizations at Rio+20 to Launch the Global Initiative on Urban Resilience
Global initiative is designed to spur building and infrastructure development, create new investment opportunities, and foster community action around the world
| Jun 19, 2012
Armstrong Issues Environmental Product Declarations On Nine Popular Ceiling and Steel Suspension Systems
Transparent new documentation allows end users to make more informed decisions when selecting ceilings for projects
| Jun 18, 2012
Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing Unveils Sustainable Building Solutions Test Facility
State-of-the-art facility provides a controlled testing environment of air and moisture infiltration/exfiltration in air barrier systems and building enclosures
| Jun 15, 2012
InPro’s bio-content becomes Cradle-to-Cradle CertifiedCM Silver
Two main components of G2 Blend formula now C2C Certified Silver.
| Jun 13, 2012
Free webinar on Designing and Building Green Schools scheduled for June 20
USGBC Center for Green Schools and other experts to present practical tips.
| Jun 13, 2012
Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute to hold energy asset conference for property owners, senior real estate managers
Top-level real estate professionals have been ignored as the industry has pushed to get sustainability measures in place.
| Jun 8, 2012
Living Building Challenge wins the 2012 Buckminster Fuller Challenge
The Living Building Challenge was chosen from a pool of 122 of entries from around the world.
