the ashes bricks memorial by SMMH Studio from france

As the global population increases, space is becoming a sought after commodity and droves of people are leaning towards a more secular way of life. Taking this into consideration, the idea of the cemetery and types of memorials we place in them must be called into question.

We think of the cemetery as a place to commemorate those who have passed. More and more families living large distances apart, often times far away from these memorials and the religious aspect of these burials is dissipating in a growingly less-religious society. But what has remained is the act of burying and the connotations of
returning to the soil that one was born from. Traditionally people were buried in their home towns, the places they were raised.  In our design, we focus on the territoriality and commemoration aspects of these memorials, more than traditional religious connotations. We propose to mix the ashes of those passed with the soil of the place they came from, creating small bricks baring the name of the person. These "ashes bricks" could be hung on a wall together with pictures from family trying to weave the present with memories.

Several "ashes bricks" can be made out of one person, to allow each family member to take one and recreate his own memorial at home. This object is not longer a container, but part of the remaining presence and memory of the person. Similar to pictures, it is a physical reminder our deceased loved ones.

Materials:The bricks are made of the dirt/clay from the place they hold dear to them, mixed with the ashes of the deceased person. The mixture is placed in a simple mould and stamped with the letters of their name.They are fired to make them a hard and durable material. Each brick will have a different colour and texture due to the different origins of the dirt used in the mixture.