Relics of the Future

LA Creature Competition — August 2020

By Thomas Wang & Yushen (Harry) Jia

Himalayan vultures, although often associated with signs of evil and menace, have been a sacred symbol and asset of Tibetan Buddhism. Their importance is reflected during the Tibetan Sky Burial Ceremony, where vultures feed on the deceased as part of the natural food chain rather than cremating the body and polluting the environment. Aiming to re-establish connections to all Tibetan Buddhists, ‘Relic of the future’ burial platforms combine Sky Burial and vulture habitation in a prospective context. This design serves as a speculative vision to link wildlife, humans, and technology as vital components of each other’s survival, destiny, and natural life cycle.

Merging the runic overtone of the structures with futuristic drone delivery method further highlights harmonious cooperation between life (vultures), death (humans), and immortality (drones): a design that shelters endangered animals, preserves human environments and re-establishes spiritual connections between different species through a sustainable approach. The implementation of this approach consequently develops into an inherent awareness for wildlife’s symbolic significance in face of their threatened existence in the 21st century.