Design Challenge
Using panettone as a canvas for exploration, create a food experience that embodies Made by Italy.
Partner
Italia Innovation - Design & Consulting Firm
Project
Research, experience design, and concept development with an Italian design and innovation consultancy exploring the evolving relationship between culture, craft, and contemporary food systems.
Role
Project Lead
Overview
Panettone, the leavened Italian sweet bread, is known for its delicate texture and complex process - demanding patience, precision, and care. Traditionally baked for the Christmas season, it has in recent years transcended its festive roots to become a beloved symbol of Italian culinary artistry worldwide.
This project used panettone as both medium and metaphor for Made by Italy - a philosophy championed by Italia Innovation that shifts the focus from where things are made to why and how they are made. Over fifteen weeks (January - May 2019), our team researched, ideated, and prototyped new ways to translate this ethos into an experience.
The outcome was a series of three concept prototypes:
A TV show exploring stories of Italian craft and innovation.
A food lab connecting design and gastronomy through experimentation and storytelling.
A pop-up food and events space that celebrated the making of Made by Italy panettone.
Italia Innovation has since collaborated with producers and artisans in California to bring the food lab concept to life, extending the project’s spirit of cross-cultural creativity and exchange.
Duration of Engagement
Spring 2019
Acknowledgements
Illustration: Diane Tate-Whatley
Design: Lucia Sorrenti
Project Team: Chloe Rich, Guillaume Girard, Janet Hoy & Jie Zhen
Images: Unsplash, Italia Innovation