Synaesthetic Dining | Ceramic Drinkware Design

Over the course of centuries, dining ware has undergone mass manufacturing, resulting in standardised, highly functional and durable products. Primarily designed to cater to broad audiences. After the pandemic, there has been a growing trend of localised production, with restaurants supporting local potters by purchasing tableware from them. Dining is no longer solely about taste, it has transformed into a comprehensive sensory encounter. By integrating synaesthesia into tableware design, designers can enhance the dining experience by engaging multiple senses simultaneously. A test was conducted to further find out the relationship. Participants sampled each flavoured liquid (tabasco, sugar water, bitter melon juice, lemon juice, and salt water) individually and answered specific questions related to their sensory experiences. The interview questions were structured into two parts: visual and tactile sensory associations with each flavour. For the visual aspect, participants were prompted to imagine and visualise scenarios, shapes, and colours that represented the flavour. Their choices of colour and form, and the evoked emotions were evaluated. The findings suggest that there are non-random associations between taste and visual features. The results showed that sweetness was associated with more rounded and voluminous shapes, while sourness and spiciness was matched with jagged and spiky shapes. Bitterness tends to give a flowy and bumpy texture which may relate to the lingering aftertaste. Saltiness was represented with gritty and grainy textures. These cross-modal correspondences between taste and visual features reveal some intriguing connections in how we visualise different tastes. Therefore, each flavour is paired with a specific cocktail and the vessel is designed according to the research. Bitter: Dry Martini in Martini cup Sour: Whiskey Sour in Sour cup Salty: Barrel Aged Soy Old Fashioned in Lowball cup Sweet: Brandy Alexander in Coupe cup Spicy: Bloody Mary in Highball cup The traditional cocktail glassware has been redesigned based on the visual associations with five distinct flavours. The vessel itself gives the drink a distinct character, and these visual cues provide an overall impression to enhance the drinking experience. Fine Bone China was chosen as it has strong ties to the country, and its delicacy made the design more sophisticated. Other materials such as resin and metal were also being incorporated in the design to achieve a desired texture that matches with the flavour.