gift of life by paya.salem from iran

A fact that’s well accepted is that the way we confront death, indicates, makes an influence on and can alter the predominant culture in our societies, and as they evolve, issues that must be taken in to consideration differ. The fact is that in Iran brain death is common and frequent, but on the contrary, organ and tissue donations are rarely known to people, encouraged and operated. This indicates kind of deficiency which can be looked at from a philanthropic and global concerning point of view.
When a person passes away his/her circle of life is complete and solid. However, as for a donor, his/her circle is not finished and completed. A part of that circle remains life altering, influencing and being influenced by its surrounding world and continues to expand the life it was first bestowed upon.
As for the bereaved and the revived, they need a way to grieve their loss and celebrate the donor and begin healing. They need an outlet which can convey their emotions and their sense of gratitude, something to memorialize the donor and celebrate his/her life, encouraging others to do so.
Here this can be an interactive grave marker with the tangible sand for an outlet and the rolling handle that always leaves a reminder of what the donor offered to the world on the sand, carrying on living another form of being.
The layers, used in the construction, respectively are well-packed earth, a porous-fabric weed barrier (one that allows water and air to path through it) and 2 or 4 more inches of sand. The rolling handle consists of two parts. While moving with grasping the handle, the longer part smoothes the sand and clears out notes that previous people wrote. As for the shorter part, while moving, it rolls and leaves a mark on the sand which is “gift of life”. The separated part of the grave marker includes name of donor, dates of death and birthday which we altered to “Arrival” and “Revival” to avoid using “death” word and a whole which helps interacting with surrounding nature. To name a few, this whole can be filled with things such as, seeds and water for the birds to keep the donor’s company or a candle and...
With our design, we make an endeavor to form a new interpretation of the way we deal with death and be so bold as to omit the “Death” word and remind people of the gift they can REVIVE in, “Gift Of Life”.