The Tree of Life | Tombstone Design
[ Personal Project ]
[ Personal Project ]
The Ask: Design your own tombstone based on a personal story.
The Solve: I designed my tombstone as a winding, wooden slide around a big maple tree in the middle of a forest in my hometown of Springfield, Illinois. The wooden slide begins high in the tree's branches and winds round and round, into the earth, through a dark tunnel, to a safe patch of land on the other side of the hill. And this is no ordinary Maple tree. This tree was planted during my childhood, in a park where I liked to play.
The tree is inconspicuous and humble. There is no signage or plaque, the slide simply acts as a reminder to see the world through the eyes of a child.
The slide is made from maple tree wood, allowing it to blend into the forest surroundings.
The slide will decay with the tree when it breaks down and becomes part of the earth again.
The slide symbolizes the journey of life, through its happy and sad times, through highs and lows there is always a light at the end. The slide is happiness; it is always there if you live your life through the eyes of a child. In the dark there is always a light.
The slide is made from maple tree wood, allowing it to blend into the forest surroundings.
The slide will decay with the tree when it breaks down and becomes part of the earth again.
The slide symbolizes the journey of life, through its happy and sad times, through highs and lows there is always a light at the end. The slide is happiness; it is always there if you live your life through the eyes of a child. In the dark there is always a light.
My Role: Original Concepts / Designer
The Tree of Life- Front View
Happiness: an extremely important facet of life. It eludes the best of us despite our most valiant efforts. Happiness and light can be found anywhere on life's journey, if one looks hard enough and remembers to see things through the eyes of a child.
Tree of Life- Bottom View
Tree of Life- Bottom Alt View
Tree of Life- Cross Section View
Tree of Life- View Without Foliage
