In other urban Asian cities such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, alternative burials have been integrated seamlessly to combat spatial and social issues. Since 2020, Singapore is witnessing a recent shift towards transient, eco-burials burials, as the authorities look to introduce and implement alternative burial solutions to contextually alleviate similar spatial issues. However, an amalgamation of factors such as the lack of information and resources available, the lack of public consultation and ‘resistance to change’ seen from the public has hindered progress for Singapore’s burial ecosystem.
Fast forward to the year 2135, land masses are prioritised for urban planning and development due to Singapore’s population growth and land scarcity, and the government has introduced policies and supervisory measures to balance space for both the living and the dead. This premise is a speculative scenario set by the designer, where public columbaria and Choa Chu Kang Cemetery are projected to run out of space by 2135. Transient disposition methods such as sea burials and in-land ash scattering gardens have become commonplace in Singapore society, and are widely accepted as a viable, sustainable and affordable burial option. Following present day burial and commemoration trends to the speculated future, the after-death industry has been revamped by the authorities with a Burial to Order Programme, where citizens have to ballot for their own death residencies. Subsequently, private entities such as Preserve (Diamond Cremation and commemoration) and Cosmos (Space Memorial platform) have capitalised on this transformation and introduced innovative solutions to support the burial and commemoration ecosystem.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
To Hereafter is a speculative project that seeks to question and re-imagine Singapore’s burial and commemoration ecosystem in the future (year 2135), by introducing the idea of a Burial to Order process supported by other designed interventions. This project aims to provoke and open up unexplored trajectories of burial and commemoration practices with evolving socio-cultural, technological, environmental, and political trends. Learn more about the speculated outcomes below.
The Burial To Order (BTO) Programme consists of a methodical process — from the filling up of a BTO form, the balloting of burial spots, and the choosing of a preferred disposition spot. The BTO process exists on both printed matter found at BTO booths and online. Under the Burial to Order (BTO) programme, citizens have to ballot for their own ‘death residency’ on two occasions. Upon birth, parents of newborn citizens are required to register their child’s burial lot of choice, and register it under the authorities within seven days. Once a citizen reaches the age of 18, the disposition method and spot can be re-balloted on their own accord. Burial spots are allocated through probability and demand, substantiated by a myriad of reasons ranging from proximity to one’s home, to space constraints, to one’s religious beliefs and socio-economic status.
Preseve Corporation has implemented the idea of sustainable cremation Diamonds as a form of memorabilia of a deceased loved one, with a digital platform to facilitate the after-death commemoration process. After cremation, the ashes of the deceased is transformed into a diamond by heat and pressure — to be gifted, worn and stored. To ensure the memories of a person lives on in the afterlife and for living citizens to relive these memories, a personalised digital profile will also be provided with each Preserve diamond. Each package contains a diamond with a casing, an instruction manual on how our product works, followed by a lifetime card linked to a digital profile that engages the memorialisation of a person; through a customisable timeline of achievements and memories of the deceased; accessed by scanning the code provided.
Cosmos functions as a dedicated space memorial platform for Singapore citizens in the year 2135. Citizens can sign in to the digital platform using the deceased’s name and ID, and after a database scan, the deceased’s profile and additional information will appear alongside the space burial location. They can choose to send messages or gifts digitally. When the visit button is clicked, a real-time scene of the burial location will fully materialise. Citizens can also choose to visit their loved ones in the Cosmos Projection room. Similar to the digital platform, the scene moves and swirls according to space conditions in real-time. However, the platform will be projected on a screen in a private setting, thus allowing for visitation of more than one person(s). This mimics a comforting, peaceful yet surreal setting for people to reminisce and commemorate their loved ones.