Memorial Capsule Kazi Kuu: Chombo cha Majivu ya Mnyama Kipenzi by Paul Heredia and Hiromi Komiyama is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award in Usanifu wa Wazo na Dhana Competition Category.
ShabaWazo· 2026
Memorial Capsule Kazi Kuu: Chombo cha Majivu ya Mnyama Kipenzi
by Paul Heredia and Hiromi Komiyama
Client: Dainichido Inc.
Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award Winner in Wazo Category
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- Verified Award Winner
- Verify Award Status for #175843
The Design
About Memorial Capsule Kazi Kuu: Chombo cha Majivu ya Mnyama Kipenzi
Maandishi ya Kitabu: Chombo hiki cha majivu ya mnyama kipenzi kinachooza kwa asili kimeundwa kutoa kwaheri ya upole na endelevu. Kikichochewa na desturi za ukumbusho wa nyumbani wa Kijapani na mazishi ya asili, kinatoa njia endelevu ya kuheshimu maisha. Muundo wa sehemu mbili wenye kifuniko chenye nyuzi huhifadhi majivu kwa ajili ya kuonyeshwa au kuzikwa, huku pambo dogo likibaki na mmiliki kama kumbukumbu. Kikitengenezwa kutoka bioplastiki chenye maganda ya chaza yaliyosagwa, chombo hiki hurudi ardhini kwa asili. Uso wake usiong'aa na mikunjo yake laini vinakaribisha kuguswa, vikitoa faraja na taratibu wakati wa huzuni.
The Recognition
About the Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award
Memorial Capsule Kazi Kuu: Chombo cha Majivu ya Mnyama Kipenzi ni mshindi wa Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award, utambuzi wenye heshima kubwa unaotolewa kwa miundo bora inayotofautishwa kwa ubunifu, ustadi na busara. Washindi wa Shaba ni kazi za ufundi mwingi na bunifu ya kushangaza zinazothibitisha uzoefu mpana, mawazo na ustadi wa wabunifu wao. Memorial Capsule Kazi Kuu: Chombo cha Majivu ya Mnyama Kipenzi inatarajiwa kuwa kitu kinachothaminiwa sana, kupendwa na kuenziwa, ambacho ni cha kitaalamu na bunifu kwa kiasi kikubwa. Muundo huu ulioshinda Tuzo ya Shaba ya A' Design Award unajumuisha mbinu bora katika sanaa, sayansi, usanifu na teknolojia, na ni bora kwa umakini wake kwa undani. Memorial Capsule Kazi Kuu: Chombo cha Majivu ya Mnyama Kipenzi hutosheleza mahitaji kwa uzuri, hugusa hamu, huvutia hisia na kuvutia udadisi.
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.
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