Research Project / Copenhagen, Denmark / Ongoing
In Denmark, current funerary options are limited and not sustainable. 95% of Copenhageners are choosing cremation over burial, yet it is estimated for each cremation of a deceased body plus the mandated coffin 70 kilos of CO2 are released. These practices consume valuable urban land, pollute the air and destroy soil and plant health due to the levels of concentration in human ashes. At the same time, Copenhagen’s growing population means that the already deficient green space per citizen is decreasing, leaving the city more vulnerable to flooding and heat island effects. It is therefore critical to think of hybrid solutions, where our green spaces can do more. We propose ‘Hvileskoven’, a green cemetery in Copenhagen, using nature's circular principles to return our bodies to the earth, providing climate adaptation solutions and contributing to urban biodiversity with new life. The connected app will contribute to knowledge creation through citizen-led science and mapping of urban nature, as well as streamlining the burial and digital afterlife process.