In Brazil, the À_SOMBRA project has added a new eco-friendly end-of-life option. Designed by João Pedro Alves Cavalcanti and Jeanine Torres Geammal from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, À_SOMBRA consists of a biodegradable urn made from mycelium, the root system of mushrooms.
The designers were inspired by the Gaia hypothesis, which posits an ecological regeneration through the integration of human remains into the soil. Mycelium was chosen for its tendency to interact with plant roots and detoxification of soil.
The project also envisioned the burial ceremony, where the urn is transported to the burial site using a bamboo structure that markets where the urn is buried. A QR code on the bamboo structure links to information about the deceased and burial site’s ecology. The bamboo eventually would also degrade, although a virtual map would continue to locate the burial site.