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Kochia Memoria
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2019
Erosion, Germination
Performances
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Concept Design Competition
NonArch Copetition Dying
Deisgn, narrative and research: Cristina Morbi
collaborator: Kristna han
Award: Finalist
NonArch Copetition Dying
Deisgn, narrative and research: Cristina Morbi
collaborator: Kristna han
Award: Finalist
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Kochia Memoria is a meditative proposal for a new ritual of remembrance, where death is not an end but a quiet passage into renewal. The work takes shape as a semi-circular light structure resting on the soil, drawing its essence from the earth itself — a living archive that awakens cycles and invites new life to emerge.
At its core lies a deep union between human remains and plant life, expressed through the use of advanced biomaterials. Urns made from PHA, a biopolymer derived from the fermentation of sugar cane by bacteria, become vessels of transition. These urns hold ashes together with seeds of Kochia Scoparia. As the urns slowly dissolve, they release their contents into the soil, allowing the seeds to germinate and the ashes to return to the earth.
The decomposition unfolds as a delicate performance, an ongoing act of germination, decay and rebirth. Kochia Scoparia, known for its striking transformation from vivid green to a flaming pink, becomes a living monument, continually reseeding itself and weaving an endless cycle of renewal.
The project also addresses the ecological challenge posed by cremation ashes, which are highly alkaline and can hinder plant growth. Kochia’s natural resilience to disturbed and alkaline soils enables it to gently balance and improve these conditions, creating a more hospitable ground for future life. Through this subtle alchemy, the ashes are not only held in memory but transformed into a force for regeneration.
Kochia Memoria is thus more than a memorial; it is an evolving artwork deeply rooted in the movements of the earth and the quiet force of time. It offers a vision of remembrance as healing, where loss becomes fertile ground and where memory finds its voice in the shimmering breath of new growth.
Chiedi a ChatGPT
Read More About The Project - Selected on Nonarchitecture Competition Finalist
