Let's begin with an uncomfortable truth. Behind that well-manicured green lawn and neatly trimmed hedges you passed today might have been a hidden cemetery. Or perhaps the street you walk across daily was once a site where countless people perished long ago. But don't worry.

Urban planners have meticulously disguised these uncomfortable facts so you wouldn't notice. In modern cities, death is concealed like an embarrassing relative, banished physically and psychologically to distant places.

"Every city is actually two cities: one for the living and one for the dead," wrote Italo Calvino in his novel "Invisible Cities." But why are we so desperate to separate these two cities?

As someone who designs and builds Death and The City Projects at BigCdotWorks in New York, I often receive provocative questions: "Why should we live while thinking about the dead?" "Why pursue such projects?" Of course, it's much more comfortable to watch Netflix while eating ready-made food.

But my answer is this: The more we hide death, the shallower our lives become.

You Are Living in a City with High Suicide Rates

This is not an exaggeration. In Seoul, more than 10 elderly people die alone each day, their bodies discovered only weeks later. News outlets regularly report on suicides of well-known public figures. In Japan, "kodokushi" (lonely deaths) have become so common that specialized cleaning companies have emerged to handle apartments where bodies are found. Young generations in American and European metropolises possess the most advanced communication tools in history, yet lead the most disconnected lives.

Globally, an estimated 700,000-800,000 people die by suicide each year. According to the World Health Organization, this means approximately one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds worldwide.

Regarding communities directly affected by suicide:

Research indicates that a single suicide directly impacts about 135 people on average. These include family members, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and others who personally knew the deceased.

On a broader scale, studies suggest that each suicide creates about 6 "survivors" (close individuals who experience severe emotional trauma).

The impact through social media:

News related to suicide can spread much faster on social media platforms than through traditional media, potentially creating a "contagion effect," especially among adolescents.

News of an ordinary person's suicide can reach thousands to tens of thousands of people on social media.

In the case of celebrities:

Celebrity suicides have a far more extensive impact. Research shows that suicide rates typically increase by approximately 0.26-12.5% following a celebrity suicide.

When extremely famous entertainers or public figures are involved, news of their suicide can reach hundreds of millions to billions of people.

For example, there have been cases where suicide rates in South Korea increased by up to 65% following the suicide of a famous entertainer.

These statistics demonstrate that the impact of suicide is not limited to a single individual but creates ripple effects across broader communities and society as a whole.

Isn't it ironic? The more we hide death from view, the more people it seems to claim.

What follows is not merely theoretical exploration. It's a response to an urgent social need. According to a 2023 study from the University of Copenhagen, neighborhoods with elements that remind us of mortality—such as community memorial spaces or intergenerational cemeteries—demonstrated significantly higher community cohesion and lower rates of social isolation. Acknowledging death paradoxically leads to a more enriched life.

"It's Depressing Just to Think About It" - Is It Really?

Many people claim that thinking about death is depressing. But in my experience, the opposite is true. Medieval people lived with skull-shaped ornaments, and Mexico's 'Day of the Dead' is one of the most vibrant and lively festivals. Sometimes I even take walks with my parents through Greenwood Cemetery near our home, discussing the death that will eventually come to us all.

I've combined various programs and digital approaches to experience my design concept of a city where the living and the dead coexist. People participating in this concept design have surprisingly demonstrated improved abilities to understand and express grief, along with greater resilience to everyday stresses.

"But Isn't This Religious?" - No, It's Human

Many people misunderstand this point. When encountering the concept of 'a city where the living and the dead coexist,' it's easy to think of it as religious, but it's an entirely different dimension. The fact that we all die someday isn't a matter of religion or belief—it's an undeniable biological reality. Death has been a universal experience permeating all cultures and eras since the beginning of humanity. The design I propose doesn't reflect a particular religion's view of the afterlife or doctrine. Instead, it's based on the most fundamental experience we all share as humans: the cycle of life and death. Of course, this does lead to an experiment and belief in an eternal city we will all eventually encounter.

A Radical Approach to Suicide Prevention

Now, let's discuss the most sensitive aspect. The most provocative element of my design is its approach to reducing suicide rates.

Suicide rates rise because people view death as a solution to all problems. This stems from either believing death is the end or wanting to escape the pain of reality and criticism from others. Sometimes, anonymous individuals who post malicious comments that drive celebrities to make extreme choices also contribute to this.

But what if we imagined a city where we would meet again after death? What if we would face the same people who troubled us, and the problems we tried to escape remained? Then, instead of making the extreme choice of suicide, we would confront and solve our current problems. Those who harass others would also reconsider their actions.

This is why suicide rates decrease and we live more seriously and ethically when we envision another city beyond death.

In spaces designed to perceive death not as an escape but as a transition within the community, people's conceptualization of suicide changes.

Changes for the Living

Ultimately, the core of my work is for the living, not the dead. By acknowledging death and integrating it into urban spaces, we can live in more profound ways.

BigCdotWorks' 'Digital Bridge to the Door of Death' design digitally and behaviorally connects vibrant public activities with beautifully designed rites of passage. Instead of hiding death, this bridge creates visual and physical connections between spaces for the living and spaces honoring the deceased. In these spaces, people drink coffee, meditate, and sometimes share stories with laughter. And in the process, they live slightly more fulfilled lives.

So, Why a City Where Life and Death Coexist?

We've already built cities with tall buildings and fast internet. But within these cities, people are dying alone. We cannot solve this problem with more apps, faster delivery services, or fancier apartments.

The city where the living and the dead coexist that I'm designing is ultimately an attempt to create a more humane city. It's not about death, but about deeper, more meaningful life. By accepting the reality of death, we live for something beyond today's shot of liquor and tomorrow's Netflix marathon.

As global populations age and urbanization accelerates, the need for cities that acknowledge all phases of human existence becomes increasingly urgent. After all, death is the only certain future we all share. Denying it is like denying the most universal human experience.

As communities worldwide face crises of meaning, connection, and belonging, reimagining cities to include spaces for both the living and the dead might be an unexpected path toward more resilient, connected urban futures. Perhaps this is the city that will make us feel truly alive.