In collaboration with Ken Kirton & Paul Storrie. We began researching the integration of fields of knowledge and also intimate forms of communication. During our research we began to develop a fascination with the sort of conversation evoked through eating and sharing a meal with one another. To respond to this new interest we organised four nights of dinner with a various range of guests.

Table

We built the table just outside London, temporarily moving the studio into Paul’s dad’s house. We spent the days building and the evenings emailing contacting potential guests. By the end of our time there we had successfully built a round Russian Pine table fit for five guests with a central base. The act of building was inspired by Enzo Mari’s Autoprogettazione.

The number of guests dining at dinner was an important factor. Through our research we felt five guests around a round table was an optimum number for conversation.

Dinners

Having built our platform, we needed to make a start on our cooking. The three of us went off to find our mothers and they lovingly advised us accordingly. We came back with an English starter, a Japanese main and a Chinese desert, slightly culturally confused but a strong representation of the three of us.

To start was a Butternut Squash Soup, thick and creamy. The mains were a selection of Japanese dishes that were to be shared among the guests to encourage a more social environment. Whilst the dessert was a Mango soup, lovely in its orange glory. Our guests ranged from designers, scientists, artists, poets, musicians, engineers and more.

Bench

Looking back at our initial aims, we wanted to create a platform of intimate communication where people from different walks of life could mix. However, with the dinners over we didn’t want the purpose of the table to cease. We wanted to ensure it lived on fulfilling its original function and so we deconstructed the table and rebuilt it as a park bench and hand made a plaque in commemoration of the dinners.

Publication coming soon.