SUMMER ‘22
Maison Florida, Hasselt


-> During summer ’22 you could reservate your spot in this experimental space. You could eat your own food or asked us to prepare a meal.


‘(cr)eating space for new relations’ explores the boundaries between a restaurant, an expo and a playground. A bundle of dining installations challenges visitors to converge through atypical actions.


         Who are you depending on?
         How nearby is proximity?


All of these dining installations had their origins in site-specific research. At different locations we started experimenting with a certain way of dining with the aim of bringing people together in a playful way. Coming to dinner was the low-threshold invitation and the shared actions allowed people to get to know each other in a playful way.
By bringing all these experiments to the front yard of Maison Florida, it felt right to adjust their design without losing the power of the concept.
Uniting them highlights the common thread that connects them. Namely, the search for a positive experience of dependence and proximity.


(my master research in product design ‘22)



Step by Step


This ladder was originally designed to bring two companies in Quartier Canal closer together. After the pandemic, the ladder was set up again to bring old acquaintances together. They always started at the bottom, at a distance of 1.5 m from each other, which happened to be the measure during COVID 19.From there, one could climb higher and higher, on to the next menu and closer together, step by step.


A Balanced Gathering


For this installation, we took inspiration from The Vitrine from Insight Projects, a company in Quartier Canal. Here we attached a table top to the ceiling with a rope and we asked 7 people from the neighborhood to have lunch together here. People had to work together from the beginning to balance the table, which led to a playful and informal atmosphere. Afterwards, one of the companies lent their van for one day to an event organization for free. This neighborly help is tremendously rewarding. How can we spread this goodness in a neighborhood? Can a playful moment during lunch contribute to this? For ‘(cr)eating space for new relations’ we redesigned it by balancing the table top on one table foot which is hammered into the ground.




Social Dinner Party


‘How can we live together?’ We received this question from AfT (Academy for Transpedagogy) and were invited to develop an installation around it in a trailer that serves as an artistic residence. This led to a dinner where 8 people were connected by ropes on the ceiling. To be able to live together, good communication is crucial. Within this installation, people had to engage in dialogue with the person they were connected to before they could eat. This created a mutual sense of dependence among all parties. For ‘(cr)eating pace for new relations’ we redesigned it by making it an outside table instead of hanging it on the ceiling.






Wearable Space for Tea & Dialogue


We were invited by Z33 Hasselt to connect their youth work with the youth work of S.M.A.K. Ghent. This resulted in a portable tea ceremony with the aim of creating a space within the museum setting in which to engage in dialogue about art. In a museum, food and drinks are not allowed, so we were forced to design 5 elements that could be smuggled in as clothing. A gas fire became a hat, a water holder became a bracelet, kettle and cups became a necklace, a tea bag became an earring and picnic blanket became a poncho. Everyone was given one item, which meant that people had to work together to make the ritual successful. Later this project was used in other locations such as a park or café but the dialogue always remained central as it is in ‘(cr)eating space for new relations’.


Balustraat


Following the Spring Festival at Maison Florida, an artist-run space, we looked for a way to make the entrance more accessible, since it is hidden behind a gate and balustrade. How can a balustrade offer a welcoming feeling? A fence serves to separate one place from another, to keep people on one side. That's what we definitely didn't want, so the idea emerged to make a connecting place from the fences. We built four dining installations, made from the neighbor across the street's wood. By making the installation on the fence, they are accessible from both sides.







You can wear a bib made out of paper during your meal. On one side you can find a statement about dependency or proximity, on the other side you see more information about the installations. You need to cut the bib by yourself and with the help of others.


All the installations are made with waste wood from nearby companies, by inviting them for lunch, we reconnected the neighbourhood through their own waste.



Date of filming and photography:
10/06/22 by Milan Gillard
17/06/22 by Milan Gillard

Location:
Maison Florida, Hasselt

Illustrations and editing:
Elke Cuppens


Watch the full video on YouTube

Special thanks:
Stef Lemmens; all-round help and enthousiasm.