Our death-denying digital age needs design that reconnects with death as a natural, regenerative part of life's cycle, particularly in healthcare systems that prioritize longevity over dignity and meaning.

This thesis researches the impact of culturally-sensitive (digital and analog/ immersive) experiences and interventions that honor end-of-life transition, preserve cultural practices and family connections, and are designed to help transform society's disconnected relationship with death to one of sacred, sustainable, dignity for every human being on this planet.

Dying With Dignity is a Human Right.

Avoiding death is a percussive and persistent themes that dominate cultural and clinical paradigms of the Anthropocene age.

But everything dies. Doesn’t it?

Today, the natural process of dying has been sidelined, creating environments that inadequately support terminally ill patients and their loved ones.

This research explores design that transforms palliative care systems to provide comfort, dignity, and holistic support, challenging the over-medicalization of death. It suggests interventions of human-centered design, evidence-based research, and service design methodologies in creating innovative solutions for globally holistic and dignified end-of-life care.

This examination urges a systemic rebalancing that integrates social, spiritual, and relational aspects of terminal care into clinical environments.

Principles rooted in human dignity provoke hyper-individualized, adaptive palliative environments and experiences that respond to physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of patients and their caregivers.

This work addresses inequities in access to culturally sensitive care, fosters community-centered death practices, and advocates for sustainable approaches to dying.

Ultimately, this work reimagines the palliative care experience and redefines how we die—sustainably, relationally, and with profound comfort and support.

We seek to return death to its critical and natural place in the ‘closed loop’ of the life cycle of modern humanity with great compassion and care.

What if end-of-life care environments restored dignity, sustainability, and cultural relevance to terminal ill patients, families, and communities?

Is it a failure to die in the digital age of living forever?

What if the end of life be a holistic, human-centered experience?

What would the world look like if death, dying and grieving were openly recognized as a part of life and the opportunity for healthy dying and healthy grieving were available to everyone?

What if design could reconnect death as a meaningful, integrated, and sustainable part of life and culture?

Chair: Scott Boylston, MFA
Rahaf Harfoush
Jaron Lanier
Alex McDowell
David Meyers
Pamela Shamshiri
Cameron Sinclair
Saty Sharma
Wyatt Troll

Augmento Mori combines the Latin term memento mori, meaning "remember you must die," with the word "augment," to enhance or extend, support, or make larger.

This name encapsulates the aims of this project to enhance our modern understanding and experience of death, transforming it into a dignified, meaningful, and supported process through design and innovation.

A thesis submitted to the faculty committee of the Design for Sustainability Department in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts in Design for Sustainability

College of Design
Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah, Georgia

M.F.A. Thesis Committee Members:

Scott Boylston, Chair , Program Coordinator, Design for Sustainability

David E. Meyers , Professor, SCAD Pro

Dr. Satyakam Sharma, PhD , Professor, Design for Sustainability

March 2026