Designers Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel have created Capsula Mundi, an egg-shaped pod for the deceased that offers an alternative to traditional burial methods.
The body of the deceased is placed in a foetal position inside a container made from biodegradable material before the pod is buried in the earth.
A tree, chosen either by the deceased prior to their death or by the family is then planted above the burial site.
Capsula Mundi is presented at the Broken Nature exhibition at the XXII Triennale di Milano, which is curated by Paola Antonelli and takes place between 1 March and 1 September 2019. The exhibition seeks to explore the badly severed ties between humans and nature, and the fact that we will inevitably become extinct.
Capsula Mundi is a biodegradable egg-shaped burial container "In a culture that is far removed from nature, overloaded with objects, and focused on youth, death is often dealt with as a taboo," said Citelli and Bretzel.
"The biological life cycle and its transformations are the same for every living being. It is time for humans to realise our integrated part in nature," they explained. "Capsula Mundi wants to emphasise that we are a part of nature's cycle of transformation."

By planting a tree which is fertilised by the decomposing pod, the designers want to "change our approach to death" and provide a sustainable alternative to traditional burial methods, which can be damaging to the environment.
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