Building the Foundation for Wellness: Understanding How Design Components of the Convenience Food Environment Impact the Consumer-food Relationship

abstract: The humans-food relationship is a 2.5 million year old, symbiotic connection of “living together” which encouraged a “system of communication up and down the food chain” (Pollan, 2008). (Reardon, 2015). Many researchers agree that this connection is a critical foundation for a beneficial relationship with food and engaging in healthy eating behaviors (McKeown, 2010; Neumark-Stainer et al., 2007; Ristovski-Slejepcevic et al., 2008; Simontacchi, 2007). Against the backdrop of a steadily increasing obesity rate and associated spending, it is critical to approach this issue from a systematic perspective such as understanding the powers that impact the consumer-food relationship (Aronne and Havas, 2009). Experts agree that the rapid increase in convenience food environments has contributed to an obesogenic foodscape that has negatively impacted consumers’ understanding of and interactions with food, resulting in consumption of nutritionally poor food, over-nutrition and chronic illness (Brownell and Battle-Horgen, 2004; Nestle, 2002). Additionally, designers and researchers are beginning to recognize the influence the built environment can have on actions (Patel, 2012; Wansink, 2010), behaviors and attitudes (Gallagher, 1993), even hindering or encouraging one to partake in healthy behaviors (Mikkelsen, 2011; Story et al., 2008). The goal of this study is to understand modern built convenience food environment design and its potential to impact the consumer-food relationship. This study utilizes a heavily qualitative approach, structured by a grounded theory methodology due to the lack of existing research (Martin & Hanington, 2012; O’Leary, 2010) and triangulates utilizing an analysis of secondary research, environmental audit through observations and a survey. The final result will be a compilation of design suggestions, based on those findings, for designing a BCCFE that encourages a healthy relationship between the consumer and food.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Design 201

Enhancing Dining Experiences through Emotional Tableware Design

Positive dining experiences can improve both physical and psychological health. Eating with people and eating slowly can facilitate one’s experience and behavior during the process, owing to the unexpected information from their senses and the surrounding environment. Tableware is a very important bridge between people and food. People get food, share food, and serve food while dining. Therefore, the tableware based on emotional design can to a certain extent affect people\u27s dining behavior and dining experience. This paper firstly introduces the reasons why people are getting hard to get a positive dining experience, and the importance of dining experiences. Then, the author analyzes the factors that influence dining experiences and explains how emotional tableware design to enhance dining experiences by increasing sensory stimulation, interactions, and emotional resonance of users. Finally, based on the three levels of emotional design theory which are visceral level, behavioral level, and reflective level, the author proposes that the integration of sensory stimulation, interaction, and narrative can help people enjoy their positive dining experience

Sustainable design approaches using waste furniture materials for design practitioners

Sustainability has become one of the core concerns of 21st century designers and makers. However, it is still evident that not every designer considers a choice of sustainable materials, manufacturing methods, afterlife or second use of their designs for furniture and other products unless the client, brief, customer or user demands it. This research stemmed from a curiosity of the recycling practices of domestic households in England, the author’s country of residence, and investigates how designers can make use of post-consumer waste. The lack of established research for practice-based design practice with waste materials for designers has led to the development of a naturalistic approach within this work which is both craft-based and commercially focused. The central aim of the study is to explore how designs are sustainably approached in the commercial context of young furniture design companies in the UK, and to propose a set of practical guidance through design outcomes to help young entrepreneurs to deal with environmental issues via design and waste material reuse. This study functions as an articulation of the research journey that provides a discursive platform for dialogue and review, facilitating new insights into creative practice that contributes to new knowledge by efficiently crafting objects in a commercial context using discarded materials. This then proves that this form of waste can be adaptable and practicable as a main material for upcycling into commercial products in repeatable batch production runs. Primary research, including design exhibitions and interviews in order to inform the debate on environmental issues concerning furniture and products design, has formed a significant platform for a series of design and make responses. In addition, surveys have been conducted so as to compile the appropriate statistics and practical case studies of furniture and products produced through environmentally sensitive methods have been carried out. The primary case study for this will be Furniture Magpies,1 a furniture design and making company which the author co-founded as a member of the cooperative enterprise. As this research is practically driven, the final result has been demonstrated not only in this document but also through the production of a furniture and product collection to help gain a practised understanding of reusing elements of furniture waste as a primary material source and make creative connections through a structured process of reflection and discussion on practice. This work may inspire designers and makers to reconsider the use of waste materials in their practice, to discover the beauty and usefulness of these materials, and through a structured design process using the guidelines make attractive commercial products, raise awareness of material reuse, and make a positive impact on the environment

Engage: designing interior products for the communal dining experience

This design thesis focuses on the social impact of designing interior products for the communal dinning experience. The emotional sustainability of interior products is closely connected to the ability to transition a consumer to an enduring owner. The enduring owner is one who views a product beyond its functional purpose and appreciates the product's social and positional aesthetic characteristics. Residential communal dinning experiences provide opportunities for individuals to create stronger emotional connections with one another beyond other typical social gatherings. Emotionally sustainable products successfully portray the owner's social position to other individuals while fulfilling the owner's personal desire for products that are aesthetically pleasing, easy to use, and reflect their personality. The current material culture of interior products promotes the consumption of products that appeal to the emotional desires of today's consumers. Therefore, the emotional sustainability occurs through both the relationships among consumers and the relationship between the consumer and their products. This design thesis explores the connections of these relationships through an active design process, which involves a synergy of reflective moments and ideas from the product, designer, and potential end-user

Beyond the point of purchase: Conveying brand values through experiential retailing. A case study of the Iittala brand

Brands are no longer isolated entities that only represent the products they offer; now they are often closely associated to their environmental contexts, cultures, and shared values. This presents a challenge for companies that are experienced in their domestic markets but desire to expanding globally, as the strong cultural connotations they have worked so hard to form may become lost in translation. The brand that this study focuses on is Iittala, a premium Scandinavian home goods brand owned by the company, Fiskars. This thesis aims to explore the methods of storytelling that are effective in brand communication and education for international brands such as Iittala, when expanding globally. To this end, this study looks specifically into the Asia-Pacific, a market of interest, to explore the qualities of Scan- dinavian design and products that appeal to its consumers. Furthermore, this thesis seeks to de- termine ways for brands to better understand its international customers. The research was conducted with a purpose of understanding the perspectives of the key players, including the local store clerks, the target consumers, and management. Literature reviews and ethnographic interviews were employed, as well as in-store observations and shadowing at various Iittala retail locations. The results indicated a need for rapid response to the ever-changing needs of Asia-Pacific consum- ers, and the need for a better understanding of their customers’ shopping behaviours in order to align the brand’s retail strategies. This study will propose a re-designed customer journey that incorporates the MyIittala platform as a tool of data collection, and offer a method of introducing this initiative through the implementation of a pop-up pavilion

The lack of Filipino restaurants in Lisbon: creating and brand strategy and visual identity for BARKADA - a Filipino restaurant & bar in Lisbon

Why is branding important? It is because people often choose a product based on the perceived value of what they think the product is worth rather than its actual value. In this case, visual identity has an important role in increasing awareness of an underrated cuisine, and in establishing and nurturing a sustainable relationship with customers. In this project, the designer taps into her ability to see and recognize the value of the brand then transforms that understanding into the visual identity of the brand. The end result of this project-based thesis is a visual identity consisting of a logo, colors, typography, packaging design, and the use of sensory branding for Barkada – a modern Filipino restaurant and bar that will be located in Lisbon, Portugal. The objective of the project is to apply theories on branding, visual identity, sensory branding, and design ranging from logo creation, color choices, typography, packaging design to form a complete visual identity for Barkada. Accomplishing these components would give the brand a visual identity to rise above its competitors in the targeted market. The visual identity also provides guidelines for creating promotional materials to ensure the brand consistency. The methodology used for this paper is collecting and analyzing secondary data from previously published studies while the literature review highlights the process of developing a new brand to the strategic brand positioning in the market. To increase its brand awareness, the stages and techniques have also been discussed so that the readers would understand the importance of visual branding. Ultimately, it aims to expose the Filipino cuisine as well as its culture in hopes to make it to the culinary mainstream

A Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste by 20 Percent

The magnitude of the food waste problem is difficult to comprehend. The U.S. spends $218 billion a year -- 1.3% of GDP -- growing, processing, transporting, and disposing of food that is never eaten. The causes of food waste are diverse, ranging from crops that never get harvested, to food left on overfilled plates, to near-expired milk and stale bread. ReFED is a coalition of over 30 business, nonprofit, foundation, and government leaders committed to building a different future, where food waste prevention, recovery, and recycling are recognized as an untapped opportunity to create jobs, alleviate hunger, and protect the environment -- all while stimulating a new multi-billion dollar market opportunity. ReFED developed A Roadmap to Reduce U.S. Food Waste as a data-driven guide to collectively take action to reduce food waste at scale nationwide.This Roadmap report is a guide and a call to action for us to work together to solve this problem. Businesses can save money for themselves and their customers. Policymakers can unleash a new wave of local job creation. Foundations can take a major step in addressing environmental issues and hunger. And innovators across all sectors can launch new products, services, and business models. There will be no losers, only winners, as food finds its way to its highest and best use

"Using Design to Make the Home Whole": Meaning and the Model Home-Arizona in the 1950s

abstract: Scholars have written much about home and meaning, yet they have said little about the professionally furnished model home viewed as a cultural artifact. Nor is there literature addressing how the home building industry uses these spaces to promote images of family life to increase sales. This research notes that not only do the structure, design, and layout of the model home formulate cultural identity but also the furnishings and materials within. Together, the model home and carefully selected artifacts placed therein help to express specific chosen lifestyles as that the home builder determines. This thesis considers the model home as constructed as well as builder's publications, descriptions, and advertisements. The research recognizes the many facets of merchandising, consumerism, and commercialism influencing the design and architecture of the suburban home. Historians of visual and cultural studies often investigate these issues as separate components. By contrast, this thesis offers an integrated framework of inquiry, drawing upon such disciplines as cultural history, anthropology, and material culture. The research methodology employs two forms of content analysis - image and text. The study analyzes 36 model homes built in Phoenix, Arizona, during the period 1955-1956. The thesis explores how the builder sends a message, i.e. images, ideals, and aspirations, to the potential home buyer through the design and decoration of the model home. It then speculates how the home buyer responds to those messages. The symbiotic relationship between the sender and receiver, together, tells a story about the Phoenix lifestyle and the domestic ideals of the 1950s. Builders sent messages surrounding convenience, spaciousness, added luxury, and indoor-outdoor living to a growing and discriminating home buying market.Dissertation/ThesisM.S.D. Design 201

The interactions between life styles, expectations and furniture design: Case study on IKEA

Thesis (Master)--Izmir Institute of Technology, Industrial Design, Izmir, 2009Includes bibliographical references (leaves: 75-77)Text in English; Abstract: Turkish and Englishxi, 81 leavesChanging economic conditions and rapid industrial changes have reshaped social structures and closely affected the process of urbanization. With the impact of capitalism, social classes have become more evident. This situation have played important role on the development of modern cities. Lifestyles, enjoyments and likes of social classes have become influential on their habits of consumption. They started to behave in a way required by their social classes in which they are and expect from a product what their social class requires them to do. While people used to live with the other members of the family in large and comfortable places altogether in the past, social conditions have forced them to live in smaller and more practical places recently. Being smaller, their living environment has affected their choice of products ads in choosing the products, features of products that are far away from floweriness and effulgence but more practical, economical; in other words, that comply with specific designing criteria have been fore grounded. The products with these designing features that meet these demands are much more preferred.The aim of this dissertation is to show how the preferences of the consumers are shaped by their social classes and lifestyles and what designing features is foreground while buying any product. While doing this, brand name called IKEA and its products are studied as a sample case. A survey is conducted in order to determine the preferences of IKEA.s customers. The dissertation consists of five chapters. Keywords: Life Styles, Furniture Design, Ikea Concept, Social Classes