Villages: A Multifunctional Ceramic Tableware Set

Creating a Warm and Joyful Dining Experience

"Villages" is a unique and innovative set of removable ceramic seasoning bottles that aims to transform the dining experience into a picturesque scene. With their wishes, users can combine the bottles and define the service functions, such as placing them on a plate or using them as ornamentation. This design not only adds functionality to the table but also brings warmth and joy to the users.

The concept behind "Villages" is to create a more user-friendly and pleasant dining scene. By integrating the common flavoring containers into a cohesive "village" on the table, it forms a sight that resembles a city. As users lay out their food, they enjoy the process of building their own unique cityscape, creating a warmer and more enjoyable dining experience.

The production of this set of products was completed in Jingdezhen, a city with a millennium of ceramic culture and history. The material used is high temperature and environmentally friendly porcelain, which is safe, non-toxic, and microwave-safe. The production process involves material selection, molding, glazing, and burning, incorporating traditional Chinese aesthetics and the rich ceramic culture of Jingdezhen.

The "Villages" set specifications include a width of 25.0cm, a height of 25.0cm, and a thickness of 3.0cm. The design team, led by JiaYi Cai, also included multidisciplinary designer JiaLiang Cai, material engineering expert ZhiPing Chen from UBC, and instructor ShaoShi Yan.

The interaction with "Villages" is simple yet engaging. Users have the freedom to combine the removable ceramic seasoning bottles in various ways, allowing them to define the service functions according to their preferences. Whether placed on a plate or used as decorative elements, the "village" scene aims to bring more warmth and joy to the dining experience.

The project started in August 2018 in Macao and was completed in November 2018 in Jingdezhen, China. Although it has not been exhibited yet, the "Villages" design showcases the team's dedication to promoting traditional Chinese culture and creating functional decorative items that enhance the dining environment.

Despite the challenges faced during the firing process, such as deformation and cracking, the team successfully overcame these obstacles. By selecting clay with higher hardness as the raw material, they ensured the durability and quality of the final product.

"Villages" is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of JiaYi Cai and the design team. It offers a unique and enjoyable dining experience, combining functionality, aesthetics, and traditional Chinese culture. This design has been recognized with the Bronze A' Design Award in the Bakeware, Tableware, Drinkware, and Cookware Design category in 2020, highlighting its outstanding qualities and contribution to improving the quality of life.