Memorial Capsule Urna animalis by Paul Heredia and Hiromi Komiyama

Memorial Capsule Urna animalis by Paul Heredia and Hiromi Komiyama is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum in Idea Competition Category.

AesIdea· 2026

Memorial Capsule Urna animalis

by Paul Heredia and Hiromi Komiyama

Client: Dainichido Inc.

Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum Winner in Idea Category

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Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #175843

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Colors

The Design

About Memorial Capsule Urna animalis

Haec urna animalis in solum resolubilis excogitata est ut valedictionem lenem et perpetuam praebeat. Ex traditionibus Iaponicis memorialibus domesticis et sepulturis naturalibus inspirata, viam sustinentem offert ad vitam honorandam. Structura bipartita cum operculo intorto cineres tuetur sive ad ostentationem sive ad sepulturam, dum parvum amuletum apud dominum ut memoriae pignus manet. Ex bioplastico cum ostrearum testis pulveratis fabricata, urna sponte ad terram redit. Superficies eius opaca et lineamenta mollia tactum invitant, solacium ritusque per luctum praebentia.

The Recognition

About the Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum

Memorial Capsule Urna animalis victor est Praemii A' Design Award Aeneum, honoris multum aestimati formis egregiis, creandi ingenio, sollertia et acumine insignibus dati. Victores Aenei opera perita et mire creandi sunt, quae experientiam, imaginationem et solertiam auctorum suorum confirmant. Exspectatur Memorial Capsule Urna animalis rem multum aestimatam, admiratam et carissimam, notabiliter professionalem et novam fore. Haec forma Aeneo victa optimas consuetudines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae amplectitur et in cura minutiarum excellit. Memorial Capsule Urna animalis necessitates egregie explet, cupiditates tangit, sensus capit et curiositatem allicit.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This product is a biodegradable urn supporting grieving pet owners through a gentle, continuous farewell. Inspired by Japanese home memorials and natural burials, it offers an intimate, sustainable way to honor life. A two-part structure with threaded lid keeps ashes secure while allowing burial with the urn; a small charm stays with the owner. Made from bioplastic with powdered oyster shells, it naturally biodegrades. Warm matte texture and soft contours invite touch, easing grief.
Dimensions & Packaging: Urn dimensions Diameter 120 x H195 mm, capacity approximately 950 cc. Total weight (urn and charm) approximately 420 g. Charm size varies by design. Made from ECOSHELL (bioplastic with powdered oyster shells), charm crafted in silver, copper, and gold alloy. Two-part body with threaded lid ensures stability and prevents accidental spillage. Matte finish and soft contours enhance tactile comfort. Packaging for urn: W170 x H246 x D140 mm, for charm: W80 x H80 x D35 mm.
Tags: pet urn, pet memorial, biodegradable urn, grief care, eco-friendly design, sustainable product, natural burial, oyster shell bioplastic, home memorial, tactile design
Production Technology: This urn is made from ECOSHELL, a biodegradable material created by blending finely crushed oyster shells into a biomass-based resin. Its lid and base are joined with a precisely engineered screw thread, ensuring the contents remain secure even if the urn is tipped over, an advantage over conventional urns. A small charm, crafted from an alloy of silver, copper, and gold, remains with the owner as a keepsake. The urn itself has a warm matte texture and soft contours, inviting touch, fostering new rituals, and easing the pain of loss.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was designing an urn that fosters emotional healing while redefining traditional perceptions of memorialization. We overcame difficulties in translating intangible emotions into tangible design features, integrating Japanese home memorial traditions with natural burial practices. External limits included sourcing and molding a biodegradable yet durable material, and ensuring a secure screw-top structure without sacrificing warmth and tactility.
Research: This qualitative design research identified a lack of meaningful mourning rituals for bereaved pet owners. Through literature review, cultural analysis, and interviews, we examined emotional changes, recovery processes, and posthumous communication with pets. Insights informed the form, structure, and materials, designing not only a physical urn but also a process that naturally supports emotional healing through use.
Inspiration: The design was inspired by the emotional gap many pet owners face after loss: the absence of meaningful mourning rituals. Drawing on Japanese customs of keeping ashes at home and the emerging practice of natural burials, it enables a continuous, personal farewell from collection to burial. Insights from grief care research and dialogues with bereaved owners shaped the structure, materials, and tactile qualities, offering a nature-connected and emotionally supportive alternative to traditional urns.
Project Duration: The project commenced in October 2022 in Hiroshima, Japan, where planning and development took place, and the design was completed in June 2023. Released in March 2025, it continues to be available.
Operation Flow: After cremation, the pet’s ashes are placed into the urn and taken home. It can be kept nearby for home memorialization, with the charm attached as a daily reminder. Owners can hold, stroke, or speak to it as they would in life, offering comfort and time for grieving. When ready, the ashes and urn can be buried to return to nature, while the charm is removed and kept close as a lasting keepsake.
Patents: Pending Patent Application No. 2024-125606, DAINICHIDO Inc., Japan
Trademark (2024) DAINICHIDO Inc., Japan
Team Members: Designer : Paul Heredia
Designer : Hiromi Komiyama
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024.
Image #2: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024.
Image #3: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024.
Image #4: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024.
Image #5: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024.