Amidst a huge array of natural burial initiatives and urban cemetery alternatives, the Capsula Mundi stands out as a sustainable solution that serves wishes of the deceased as well as the land of the living.

Italian designers Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel developed this solution in part to challenge constrictive existing laws surrounding burials in their home country.

Essentially, a body is interred in an organic and biodegradable burial capsule situated beneath the seedling of a chosen tree. Instead of filling graveyards with caskets and stone monuments to the deceased, this system would populate parks with living memorials – trees over tombstones. In turn, family and descendants can come to visit and care for the plants in honor of their loved ones.

Many other “green” burial solutions are generally not as ecological as they would first appear. Cremations, for instance, generate huge amounts of carbon dioxide in the burning process. And, of course, traditional burials are not very sustainable – chemicals, caskets, concrete, stone and space are all wasted in an effort to preserve something that will inevitably return to nature, one way or another.

More from the project website: “Capsula Mundi is a cultural and broad-based project, which envisions a different approach to the way we think about death. It’s an egg-shaped pod, an ancient and perfect form, made of biodegradable material, where our departed loved ones are placed for burial. Ashes will be held in small Capsulas while bodies will be laid down in a fetal position in larger pods. The pod will then be buried as a seed in the earth.

“A tree, chosen in life by the deceased, will be planted on top of it and serve as a memorial for the departed and as a legacy for posterity and the future of our planet. Family and friends will continue to care for the tree as it grows. Cemeteries will acquire a new look and, instead of the cold grey landscape we see today, they will grow into vibrant woodlands. The project is still in a start-up phase, but encouraged by worldwide enthusiasm for our concept, we are working to make it become a reality.”

With stylistic nods to classic rounded Airstream trailers, this next-generation mobile pod dwelling is powered by solar and wind energy and provides drinkable water by recycling and filtering the rain.

Designed by Nice Architects, the Ecocapsule shelter is intended to accommodate two people, providing basic necessities and bonus amenities including a fold-out bed, living and dining space, cozy kitchenette, working shower and flush toilet.

A 750-watt wind turbine attaches to the exterior and the roof is clad in a series of built-in solar cells providing multiple means of generating energy for the home. Power can be stored in an onboard battery with close to a 10,000 watt-hour capacity.

The entire structure is road-worthy as well: just under 15 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8 feet tall and weighing a bit over 3,000 pounds. It can be fit into a standard-sized shipping container or towed behind a vehicle. Currently in a prototype phase, the company plans to put these units on the market within the next year.

Its makers envision a great variety of potential uses: “Ecocapsule is a portable house offering an unmatched dwelling experience. With its immense off-grid life span, worldwide portability and flexibility it is suitable for a wide range of applications: from an independent research station or a tourist lodge to an emergency housing or a humanitarian-action unit.”

Former Facebook and PayPal employee Chris Robinson is two years into an epic backyard project rising behind his home in Palo Alto: a structure dubbed the Tsunamiball.

A veteran of Silicon Valley with no nautical or construction experience, Robinsin met his wife in Fukushima and, after seeing the disaster unfold, set to work trying to solve the issue of tsunami-proof architecture.

His capsule is 22-foot-long, 10-foot-wide, 8.5-foot-high and built of plywood and epoxy, envisioned in Adobe Illustrator, vetted by engineers then slowly constructed by hand. The inspiration? Seaworthy escape pods and spherical treehouses. You can see a video of the building process over at Wired – additional videos available on Tsunamiball.com.

So far he has finished most of the hull but still needs to add buoyant insulation, a structural keel and an electric motor fueled by solar batteries. While his own California home is unlikely to ever go underwater (at least not literally), Robison plans to test the seaworthiness of his creation in the nearby Pacific Ocean, and then perhaps rent the place out on AirBNB. Maybe it can also serve as a prototype for a new kind of disaster-resistant design for coastal areas.

Full of small surprises, this minimalist modern urban retreat blends elements of a free-for-all hostel of bunk beds for college backpackers and high-end hotels catering to business executives.

At The POD in Singapore, designed by Formwerkz, guests stay in variously-sized capsules reminiscent of radical pod hotels in places like Tokyo or Hong Kong, but with warm materials (primarily wood and stone), soft lighting and tactile finishes one might expect from a traditional suite in Kyoto or Beijing.

The bedrooms are semi-private affairs – slots in the walls you can slip into with a curtain you can pull down for privacy, but no actual door or solid space divider. A private desk folds down from the wall and private reading light lets you set your own hours for sleeping at night.

For security, separate cubby lockers below beds and shoe lockers in the main space let you keep valuables out of reach. Common areas provide both lounge and meeting spaces as well as private office pods for getting work or calls down out of sight.

The washrooms with basin sinks and broad mirrors are open and shared, but the bathroom stalls inside of them (including a smaller sink, shower, toilet and mirror) are closed and private, resulting in a blend of semi-public yet also personal restrooms .