Life-Death Interfaces: Tangible Ways of Legacy-Making, Grief, and Remembrance

Abstract

In this paper, we present the results of a design project that investigated new ways of preparing for one’s own death, of remembering loved ones and of joining others in grief. These ways include a pillow for remembering the voices of loved ones, an hourglass containing human ashes as a ritual object for grieving, an additive monument for collective mourning, and a set of nested gift boxes for staying present in the life of a loved one after one’s death. We present our designs and initial user reactions. We discuss our findings, concluding that actively engaging with the difficult topic of death and dying can be rewarding.