Sa-ii Tableware

Communal Eating Design.

Brief

“ Sharing a meal with someone - convening together around the same table - is one of the most important manifestations of our sociality. Eating together confirms our sense of belonging and being part of a community. Pick a few favorite meals or moments with others. What traditions and customs do you share with your friends, family and community? What foods are consumed? What tools are used? When are you indoors or outdoors? What customs and etiquette for eating pertain to your meal?

Objective: Design an object for communal eating that is both functionally and aesthetically beautiful while maintaining a strong conceptual story and personal connection. “

- Molly Roberts | PD Design Studio Prof.

Inspiration

By observing my Korean-American heritage and cuisine, I was inspired by the repetition of form found in tableware and the functional semantics that exist in shape, size, and use.

Nesting + Stacking

Design Focus

Nesting/Stacking
Set(s) of essential plates
Pieces w/ designated use

Process.

Mood Board

I was drawn to the idea of stacking or nesting tableware as many dishes consisted of concentric shapes.

I began my ideation process by studying the layout of typical Korean meals in various settings such as households, restaurants, and take-away boxes.

Exploration Drawing + User Cycle

USER CYCLE

Residential Setting:

- I could see this design being used in kitchens with limited cabinet space. Its stacking/nesting orientation could save valuable space

- This set-like package could also allow for efficiency/ease of use as it encompasses essential or frequent use dishes all in one.

Commercial setting:

-I could see this design being used in commercial kitchens/restaurants seeing as how necessary serving dishes can be grabbed quickly

- one set= one person

- easy to grab, compact

Product Statement

Project Statement Sa-ii is a nesting porcelain tableware set for residential and commercial dining that accommodates a compact collection of essential plates so that valuable storage space is saved and table preparation time is reduced. Inspired by the Korean Cuisine, this set is not only contextualized in asian culture, but also dense urban settings all over the world.