OKA 佛教祭坛与纪念首饰丨nendo

Oka是nendo设计的一套佛教祭坛与纪念性首饰作品，旨在反映出当代日本人对生命、死亡以及悼念等不断变化发展的思想观念。无论是由于经济原因，还是受出生率下降和人口老龄化问题影响，越来越多的日本家庭发现在本应留给后代的地产上建造和维护墓地变得十分困难。此外，近年来，日本人的生死观念逐渐多样化，这种趋势削弱了人们将骨灰放在佛教寺庙或在家中放置传统祭坛的意愿。

A Buddhist altar set, designed to fit the changing Japanese views of life, death, and memorial services. Whether due to the economy or the declining birthrate and aging population, an increasing number of households are finding difficulty building and maintaining gravesites on estates meant for passing on to future generations. Moreover, the diversification of Japanese views on life and death is eroding inclinations toward interring ashes at Buddhist temples and placing traditional altars within homes.

▼项目概览，overall of the project

与此同时，为适应室内空间而设计的纪念珠宝和骨灰盒也在吸引着人们的注意，意在将逝者的骨灰融于生前的日常生活中，通过对情感价值的关注，减轻哀悼者的失落感和孤独感。此外，通过树葬或将骨灰撒入大海等自由奔放的方式使亲人回归自然，也正受到越来越多的关注。

▼概念图，concept diagram

Meanwhile, memorial jewelry and urns made to fit interior spaces are gathering attention, their intention to focus on emotional values and alleviate a mourner’s sense of loss and loneliness by incorporating the deceased’s ashes into the former’s daily life. The free-spirited approach of returning loved ones to nature, through a tree burial or by scattering powdered bones in the sea, is also gaining traction.

▼桌面上的微景观，micro-landscape on the table

oka佛教祭坛就是在这样的背景下设计而成的。祭坛由四个部分组成，分别为骨灰瓮、香坛、花瓶与颂钵。祭坛将这四种祭祀元素巧妙地融合在一起，形成富有禅意的桌面微景观，而不仅仅是一个放置物品的托盘。

It is against such a backdrop that the Buddhist altar in question was designed. Comprising four parts—urn, incense burner, vase, and bell—the altar subtly integrates the roles of all four into one landscape, rather than merely providing a tray on which to place the accessories.

▼oka佛教祭坛，the Buddhist altar

▼顶视图，top view

骨灰瓮藏在一座“小山”的下，而“小山”前的“洼地”盛入水后，则变成一汪“湖水”或花瓶。位于中央的“洼地”为香坛，香柱可以垂直插入，也可倾斜放置。“洼地”的凹陷形态则可以用于收集香燃烧后的灰烬。颂钵也以“山谷”与“洼地”的形式出现，用手一按，内部就会传出敲钵的声音。

The urn is hidden beneath a small hill, and filling the dip in the landscape with water turns it into a lake, or a vase to hold flowers. An incense stick may be used either upright or on its side, with the small hollow serving as a burner to catch its ashes. Finally, the bell too is one of the altar’s hills and dales, ringing from within at the touch of a hand.

▼“小山”中的骨灰瓮与“洼地”中的香坛，urn hidden beneath the small hill and incense in the dip

▼花瓶，vase

▼按压会发出声音的颂钵，the bell ringing from within at the touch of a hand

此外，设计师还设计了一个可以佩戴的项链吊坠，内部装有少量的骨灰。吊坠配有一个与骨灰瓮形状相似的首饰盒。如此设计的意图旨在使佩戴者感到仿佛与那风景中永眠的人近在咫尺。

A pendant to house a small amount of ashes to wear around the neck was also designed. The pendant is actually a section cut away from its holder, the latter hill-shaped like the urn. May its wearer feel as though they stay close to the one who rests in that landscape.

▼装有骨灰的项链吊坠，pendant to house a small amount of ashes

▼三种不同样式的首饰盒，three type of the pendants and the holders

▼单体首饰盒，single pendant and the holder

▼吊坠取出过程，Pendant removal process

▼三种不同形状的吊坠，three types of pendant

▼吊坠细部，detail of the pendant

设计旨在以丰富的意向引发悼念者对纪念性首饰或骨灰盒的关注，同时以树葬或灰烬散落的形象，给人以一种与自然融为一体的感觉。

The design is intended to be bounteous, letting mourners feel both the lure of memorial jewelry or urns, and the image of tree burials or ash scattering with a feeling of being at one with nature.

▼黑色系祭坛，Black altar

▼起伏的形态，Black undulating shape

Collaborator : nis, rcd

Photographer : Tsunehiko Okazaki