Inhabitat

September 24, 2006

COFFIN SHELVES: ww.modcom’s Shelves For Life

At the [Re]Design 06 exhibition in London, the hip British design team ww.modcons explore the issue of disposability with their subtly ironic Shelves for Life. The artfully assembled slats of wood begin their existence dutifully propping up books and knick-knacks, but when their time is up, instead of getting kicked to the curb, these shelves convert into a coffin!

If you tend to get precious about throwing away items you’ve grown attached to, Shelves for Life might be just your style. The designers’ wry commentary on the disposability of everyday objects is well-tucked into an inarguably beautiful piece of furniture.

Shelves for Life is just one of the many intriguing design items we found on display at [RE]Design - currently on at the Truman brewery on Brick Lane in London. Stay tuned for a report back later today on the rest of the show.

18 Responses to “COFFIN SHELVES: ww.modcom’s Shelves For Life”

BoOkMaRk|好东西 » Blog Archives » 变身棺材 Says:

September 24th, 2006 at 12:16 pm

[...] here] Posted in 设计ID | Trackback | del.icio.us | Top OfPage [...]

green LA girl » Clicklist: Death in a bookshelf Says:

September 24th, 2006 at 4:49 pm

[...] A bookshelf that turns into a coffin for when you’re, um, done with the bookshelf. Sort of a cool idea — reading books as a metaphor for death? [...]

fogfish Says:

September 25th, 2006 at 9:30 am

When your books are good and tired, or you’re ready to move. Into the coffin they go!

dan Says:

January 2nd, 2007 at 3:31 pm

personaly i think its a stupid idea, no one wants to be reminded there gonna die, much less, see it everymoring, hey i want a book, and oh yeah, im gonna be dead in that thing one day

shelby Says:

January 2nd, 2007 at 3:44 pm

i love it. we’re always reminded that we’re going to die. theres no way that we cant be.
and i think that if we’re going to waste wood on a bookshelf thats just going to end up in the trash heap once were done with it, well.. we shouldnt let it go to waste

:] i want one.

John Says:

January 2nd, 2007 at 4:25 pm

Everything we own should have dual purposes… a bookshelf/coffin, a coffeemaker/transfusion device, a remote control that cuts your hair…the list is endless. But just for kicks, why don’t we use our innovative brains to solve real problems like disease and hunger? But yeah the bookshelf is cool though…

Brittany Says:

January 2nd, 2007 at 11:38 pm

Thats a crappy coffin i’d hate to be buried in that. nice bookshelf tho.

Christopher Says:

January 3rd, 2007 at 3:34 am

hahaha…I’m gonna send this to my friend who is a mortician…He’ll LOVE it!!!

Pedro DePacos Says:

January 3rd, 2007 at 12:24 pm

Can I get this at IKEA?

Reese Says:

January 5th, 2007 at 5:49 am

Coffin/bookshelf? good idea, but do you really want to be buried in a coffin that.. poorly built?
i think the human brain can think of a little better dual-purpose, everyday items.

Matt Says:

January 5th, 2007 at 5:14 pm

dual purpose items are cool
but why a coffin/bookshelf?!?!?

Renske Says:

January 6th, 2007 at 2:18 am

i have to ask. why would you care what ur buried in? ur dead!

lorne Says:

February 6th, 2007 at 8:53 pm

Im training to be a counsellor and also doing a bereavement course and i said to everyone that i wanted a bookshelve that could turn into a coffin and they were cracking up! i reckon its great and I WANT ONE!!!

Maggie Wang Kenobi » Blog Archive » Ya, ya, superya, que yastán aquí Says:

March 2nd, 2007 at 1:15 pm

[...] pronto, macuerdo que también he incluido en esa lista de nisetocurra la estantería para la vida Shelves for Life. No niego que sea megaútil, que pa cuando te mueras ya no te hará falta más y podrás usarla de [...]

Hans Rademaker Says:

March 5th, 2007 at 11:18 am

It is a very good idea and William Warrens bookshelve may even reach a larger public than my own design which was mainly designed for starting up a discussion about death as a part of life.

edw.a.roth Says:

March 20th, 2007 at 10:47 am

I gleefully hope they sell as many as those who work for the company that designed them.

M. P. Garrett Says:

May 1st, 2007 at 5:34 pm

Even in life we are in the midst of death. As clergy and daily faced with the tragedy of helping families deal with the details left by people who lived in constant denial of their own mortality I think this is a gentle, whimsical way for people to engage with the fact that none of us get out of this world alive. Our ancestors were much more honest about keeping mortality in view. The memento mori was a part of the fabric of society and people’s lives. Even Roman Emperors, as they rode victorious through the streets, would have a slave behind them whispering “memento mori”. Perhaps if we all kept our own death in front of us we would be less willing to tolerate what hastens that for ourselves and for others as well!
P.S. I think it looks great as furniture and just fine as a biodegradable corpse keeper!