Four Contemporary Urn Designs that Beautifully Defy Tradition

When I think about the aesthetics of death, at least here in the United States, a certain set of characteristics come to mind: dark colors, somber motifs, and fairly rigid forms that conform to traditions established long before I ever began thinking about death and dying.

In every area of funerary design, though, people are looking at the aesthetics of death through new eyes, and some of the results are quite amazing. This is especially true of funerary urns, so I’d like to share with you a few contemporary urn designs that I found to be exceptional.

Maria Tyakina’s Dome

Maria Tyakina is a Dutch artist and designer of interior architecture and furniture with a penchant for the ultra-contemporary. All her designs have very tactile physical presence, and when she was commissioned to design an urn, she created an object that is completely non-traditional and also very elegant. Made of a marble base that holds the cremated remains and a hand-painted glass dome that rests on top, Tyakina says her dome reflects the more modern idea of a “personal and non-depressing funeral ceremony” while incorporating the ancient symbolism of the dome. While this one is stunning, it is unfortunately a one-of-a-kind piece and is not for sale.

www.mariatyakina.com

Wolfgang Natlacen’s Misirizzi

If this egg-shaped urn looks like a child’s toy, it’s no coincidence; the Misirizzi may wobble, but it won’t fall down. Inspired in form by Egyptian funerary art and in spirit by an irreverence for the “grey and sad conformism of death,” these urns are interactive.

The name Misirizzi literally translates as “roly poly toy,” and it’s designed as a toy, a piece of art, and a funerary urn. Natlacen says his idea is to lighten the “Coexistence between the living and the dead.”

Made of traditional acacia wood, it will last for a long, long time, and it comes with a black, red, or gold finish. If you’re interested in purchasing one, you can find them for sale here.

www.misirizzi.com

Tom Kundig’s Final Turn Urn

This one is really an exceptional piece of design. Designed by Seattle-based architect Tom Kundig, this urn is made of blackened steel and weighs in at 14 pounds. Its broken sphere design has two compartments inside for cremated remains and mementos, and the top edge of the bottom half is a discreet place for engraving that can only be seen when the urn is opened (the ashes won’t spill, they are secured inside a special camber that must be deliberately opened).

The beauty and simplicity of the design make it both an aesthetically beautiful thing and a vessel for remembering unlike any other. This really could be a gallery piece. You can purchase it here.

www.lundgrenmonuments.com

Aleksander Skworz’s Living Urn

Polish designer Aleksander Skworz has created an urn from a completely different perspective – his Living Urn is designed to be used both before and after death.

If not for the oak and marble construction, you might mistake this urn for a fruit bowl, which is just what the designer wanted. He intended it to be used throughout one’s life as a reminder that death is imminent — a kind of everyday memento mori. “We instinctively start to live a better and fuller life when reminded that our time is strictly limited,” Skworz explains.

www.dezeen.com

These urns are obviously not for everyone, but they are a nice step outside the box of tradition, and a reminder that the best way to die well is to live well. They are all custom-made with the individual in mind — when they’re available. They previously sold at erdensen.com, but that site is currently undergoing a rebuild, so if you want one, you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled.