preview

Zahareas Screen Mutation: Case Study

Satisfactory Essays

Technology has started to dominate and influence the way human dine. It will also transform the experience of dining in years to come. Charles Spencer and Betina Piqueras-Fiszman evaluate the use of technologies to enhance dining experiences. They assert that advanced technologies will be seen around the dining table, and has the ability to create a virtual dining, whereby family members may either be physically present or only be ‘virtually’ (Spencer and Fiszman. 1) [Figure.3]. However, both authors observe that the implication of technology in dining practices may create an unwanted form of distraction (Spencer and Fiszman. 6). This distraction is the absence of physical contact during dining practice. In this case, experience design challenges …show more content…

Zahareas’ Skype Dining Set enhances the practice of digital dining. Lamdazita, 2014.

She also designed a product called Screen Mutation, which is a series of tableware such as plates, pots, and cutleries. The series is designed according to the concept of perspective and distortion. In the real situation, the products look distorted and out of proportion. However, it can be seen as ‘normal’ objects when it is seen through a front camera view. Figure 5. Zahareas’s Screen Mutation is designed based on the perspective and distortion, Lamdazita, 2014-2015.
People might think that the sets are merely just a normal dining object. However, the mutation gives a more exciting experience for diners. Through this product, Zahareas wants to provoke that design is able to create a connection between users based on computers’ screen views. By using these oddly designed objects, it also questions the diners about their eagerness and willingness to achieve an intimate dining experience with their partners or family members. According to Zahareas website, she argues that, “How far we are willing to go in distorting our physical experience to fit with the aesthetics and peculiarities of the screen, as a medium. The exploration results in the proposal of a collection of props that are inspired and conceived by the peculiarities of the medium and will highlight their surreal nature when performed.” (Skype Dining …show more content…

Sharing dinner in Tokyo, Japan by Majie Vogelzang, Delicate. 2008.

Figure 9. The City Eyes, By Dus Architects allows 2 strangers to dine together. Openbuilding.com. 2012

Furthermore, Design has started to challenge people to dine with strangers. The City Eyes done by Dus Architects reflects the idea of public and private dining. In this event, a table was placed between a window, which allows it to sit both inside and outside a house. When the dinner is served, the diners allowed anyone to sit and accompanied him or her to eat. This works addresses the issue of intimacy between diners with strangers. It also challenges the concept of eating together as a family.

Perhaps it can be seen that designers start to re-define the culture of eating together. Numerous attempts had been implemented in order to create an intimate dining experience. Most of the attempts are embodied in a form of products, spaces and dining settings. These designers have the similar intention, which is to evoke humans’ intimacy. In fact, many intriguing designs and technologies have started to appear on dining table. Although it changes the concept of dining, it still maintains the value of eating together, which can be seen from the presence of

Get Access