I N D U S T R I A L & I N T E R I O R D E S I G N
B R I E F
The fact of death is seen as something at odds with modern experience, and the average funeral is approached in a spirit of dread or denial. In some cultures, and in earlier times there appears to have been less distance between public show and personal belief, but in the secular West, the average experience of death is subject to compromise and make-believe.
So, how might we ‘improve’ death from a design perspective’?
The place of death
Can we make death more visible, and is this desirable? Can we re-imagine the cemetery, or the hospice for instance, as a new kind of social ‘amenity’?
The journey to death
How should we understand ‘progress’ or ‘efficiency’ at the end of life? Should dying be likened to a journey punctuated by different ‘indicators’? In modern societies there has been an onus on public health and economic costs, but less on psychological well being. How might we redress this imbalance?
Whose death is it anyway?
Design has typically approached death by envisaging sacred spaces, special rituals and a distinctive material culture. But death in the present day may demand more personalization. If the well-lived life aims for purpose and distinction, how can design help the individual, and his or her immediate community, to re-present this ideal?
J O U R N E Y
We were interested in learning more about the Hospice and the challenges that come with discussing death. In hospices that are part of the hospital environment there is some interesting tension as hospitals are designed to keep you alive, the totally opposite mindset of the hospice. How can you design a transformable house experience within a hospital environment. With this question in mind we went back home the first day to do some research.
We looked at some case studies of past works of architects and service designers and interviewed someone who works in a government run hospice for children in Kuwait called Bayt Abdullah. She spoke to us about the importance of treating both the children and their families throughout the process and encouraging them to be in each other’s company. Facilitating play and imagination for the children is translated in a very colorful interior which also creates possibilities for interactive games and many activities for the kids. Interesting keywords for design: PLAY and COMPANION.
After this we looked into the strategy of IDEO for their project ‘Redesigning Death’. We were struck by some quotes by BJ Miller, executive director of San Francisco’s Zen Hospice Project: Why can’t death feel more like life? How can we reintegrate death into our lives?Whatever one might believe about death, we can't deny its inevitability. How is it possible to be alive and not want to know everything we can about it?
We wanted to create a sort of fictional scenario, for e.g. what if they have X days to live, thereby creating a platform where people can talk about life and death. Because there’s not enough debate or willingness to talk or confront that really is inevitable for everyone. In other words, there’s very little acknowledgment when it comes to death. Lack of awareness goes back to our initial area
of concern which is Hospices. We started to brainstorm in terms of games to facilitate conversations about life and death. We created the board game ‘Life and death.’
WHY
The game is designed to raise conversations around the topic of death, but instead focusing more on the power of life. The game will confront you with a speculative scenario in which you only have a limited time to live and are therefore are forced to stand still and reflect on life in a new and enlightened way. ‘Let death open up your life to you’.
WHAT
The game consists of a board, two dice and a pack of cards. The dice determines your limited amount of time to live e.g. a number followed by days/weeks/months/years - This is where your journey starts. Four chronological stages: looking back/before I go/remember me/afterlife will guide you through different reflections and afterthoughts with the focal point around life or death.
WHO
The game is designed for a wide range of ages, anyone aged between 6 and 106 is invited to partake. Two participants are needed in order to create an open intimate dialogue around the topic of life and death.
PURPOSE
We see this play as a tool to start conversations. It could be used in education. We are thinking of giving the prototype to an upcoming death café in London. After making and playing the game ourselves we realized the questions are still pretty serious and difficult to answer. But the game introduces you more easily to the topic and triggers to reflect in a playful way.
H O W
1. Begin by each rolling the two dice in the middle of the board to determine your time frame.
2. Working clockwise around the board each take it in turn to pick a card from the deck reading the chosen question to your opposition. Begin with ‘Looking Back’ through to ‘After Life’.
The game is a simple tool to raise conversation and deeper thoughts around the topic of death in a new and lighter format than originally associated with. After completing the four stages we encourage you to freely explore the leftover questions and continue in open dialogue.
After all, what if life really depended on the throw of a dice?
Life or Death
[Board Game]
(LONDON · ENGLAND · 2016)
(CRITICAL INTERROGATION PRACTICE])
