"Food Symphony" aims to provide a new dining experience by reconnecting the dining package with its earlier procedures. I record cooking sounds from the kitchen, transform them into patterns and store them in porcelain speakers, resembling specially designed bowls. When the speaker is tilted, harmonious tunes will flow out and echo from within the conical body. In this manner, the guests may obtain an image of the unknown cuisine and anticipate the coming taste sensations.
Background
Nowadays, multi-sensory restaurants attempt to influence our perception of food more overtly, making people value their cuisine from their complete experience rather than somply the food. Yet, the dishes are also like crystals of their inherent emergence, from harvest to purchasing, from preparing to cooking, with dining as the last step.
A New Dining Experience
Compared to the visual and olfactory sensation, auditory is the sense that is often overlooked when speaking of culinary experience. Thus, I regard sound as a medium of communication and pull guests back to the time when the chefs were working on preparing their dishes. In our new dining experiences, we offer a menu without pictures, only showing name, procedures, and length. Interestingly, past eating experiences as with different cultures affect one’s association profoundly, stimulating a vivid imagination.
Design Features- Pattern
The pattern is created according to the frequency, in order to integrate other senses and differentiate one from others when it is inactive. Each speaker represents one dish, and the sound comes from the preparation for that specific dish.
Rice
/ washing rice / boiling /
/ length : 00:40 /
/ washing rice / boiling /
/ length : 00:40 /
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The pattern is generated by original processing coding. It creates different darkness according to its frequency. Also, there are clear sections between procedures.
The pattern is generated by original processing coding. It creates different darkness according to its frequency. Also, there are clear sections between procedures.
Eggroll
/ stirring egg / frying /
/ length : 00:40 /
/ stirring egg / frying /
/ length : 00:40 /
-
Each sound beat will form different density and hierarchy in the frequency spectrum from low to high and presents uneven darkness.
Each sound beat will form different density and hierarchy in the frequency spectrum from low to high and presents uneven darkness.
Design Features- Shape
To blend and emphasize auditory into culinary experiences, I take the appearance of a speaker as an inspiration. This creates an intuitive sense to hold the speaker closely to your ears, provoking distinctive reactions from people.
Design Process
modeling - casting - printing - assembling - testing
I built the model from white porcelain and print patterns by silk screen printing. The barrel bottom provides a perfect space for the mp3 player module and a tilt switch. Silkscreen printing has to done by specially formulated pigments and transfer paper to undergo high firing.
Reflection
I've learned how to transfer an abstract sensory experience into tangible items throughout the project. However, the first models being simple and nature, with the experience making flowing and elegant.
