The Architecture of Human Composting

Abstract

University of Washington Abstract The Architecture of Human Composting Will Devault-Weaver Chairs of the Supervisory Committee: Bob Mugerauer Tyler Sprague Architecture The much-anticipated arrival of the new funerary technology known as human composting is right around the corner, appearing March 1st of this year. With its arrival we are faced with the questions: What should the facilities that house this entirely new process look like, and how should they function? To date there is only one precedent in the United States, located in the SODO neighborhood in Seattle and will be discussed further in this document. Because the architecture of human composting is still in its infancy, it has not yet undergone the evolution that all typologies must go through over and again in response to societal, religious, and political pressures. This is an exciting prospect indeed because there is no accepted “status quo” or “right” way to design for the new process. Although there is a certain freedom to the space in which design for human composting exists, it should be acknowledged that at its core the space is defined by death, the definition of which has been around long enough for thorough (although constantly evolving) consideration from theoretical, spiritual, and scientific viewpoints. Using prior investigation of death as a starting point with which to base this new architecture, this paper then considers the site where an example of that new architecture could be constructed, which is located at 508 N 36th Street in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, and most importantly; the Lushootseed people who once occupied that site. Research into pre-colonist Lushootseed culture revealed beliefs based on their own unique understanding of the cosmos because the technologies, beliefs and cultures of people beyond their neighboring tribes had not yet been introduced to theirs. Because of this lack of outside influence, these beliefs were instead largely informed by their surroundings, and could be summarized as an inextricable connection of all things. The Lushootseed premise of connection lends itself well to the human composting process itself, wherein the body decomposes naturally and then nourishes life in its new form. This stands in stark contrast to the more common, contemporary funerary processes, hereafter known as contemporary North American funerary practices, which are dependent on fossil fuels and harmful chemicals, and highlights the need for a new contemporary understanding of death which is more fitting for a region with a well-established appreciation for nature. Moreover, by homing in on a new understanding of death and establishing new rituals for it, opportunities to address certain negative aspects of the experience of bereaved parties are revealed. Finally, the paper will briefly analyze three structures whose form was influenced by death to find themes that can help inform a new architecture of death. By blending the aforementioned cultural, regional, historical, and thematic aspects, the paper will suggest one design for a human composting facility in Fremont which accommodates the program requirements for a human composting facility, and is built using modern construction methods.