The Sixth Senses of Food: the Art and Science

Professor: Joy Ko
Wang, Chia-Min（Min）
Interior Architecture (MIA/2011, RISD)

Location：De Pasquale's Square (Federal Hill/ Providence, RI) / The intersection of Atwells Ave. and De Pasquale Ave.
Time：For the two month of January and February in DePasquale Square .

Area：The maximum pavilion footprint/ 800 sq ft

The design have to accommodate：
◎ 5 exhibitions to explore the 5 senses－（as they relate to food）
Taste sense/ Small sense/ Slight sense/ Sound sense/ Touch sense

◎ “The Sixth Senses Space”, a space dedicated to the integration of all the senses, a current movement in the food industry. This space must accommodate at least 30 people with appropriate space to receive samples of plated food.
（This is not a restaurant）

The design must include a more detailed exploration of one of the sense exhibition, which will be assigned by me.

This event is anticipated to be a major attraction so I should include the following considerations：flow, entrance, and egress, separate service for delivery and waste disposal.

This is a semi-permanent pavilion, intended to be taken down during in the spring.


Designing Concept
Exterior Space

My pavilion construction is based on practicing of last two projects which is the GAS Station and Surface Penalization to develop the shape. The idea inspires from ALINEA restaurant website pictures and Zaha Hadid’s Lilas installation at the Serpentine Gallery in London.

A palatable cuisine has to be served and displayed on elegant plate or container which could stimulate our appetite. The pavilion appearance (shape) transforms form tableware images. The asymmetric shape depends on the parameter setting.

Range of solutions in GC

Using "Generative Componnents" to set up parameters individually on each of frames that will control the curvatures to create free form shape.

3D modelings in Rhino

3D Model renderings


Site Choice：

The site is designed on the back part of De Pasquale Square, it might occupy (20x30 ft) 600 sq ft

Interior Space


The interior space aim to create the atmosphere which leads people to experience 5 senses （Taste, Touch, Sight, Smell, Sound Senses）from food.

1.There is a kitchen would be set up in an open-studio which shape by dome with transparency glass in the interior space. Visitors could observe the whole process as chiefs cook cuisines.

2. There are 3 dining tables around the open-studio. Each table could accommodate 10 persons to serve dishes by tuning table. It also could separate service for delivery and waste disposal. People could see, could eat, could smell and touch the food.

3.SOUND SENSE: There is a spiral path which surrounds with interior space from the base until to the top. On the spiral path, installed speakers project or play the sounds which made from kitchen. The sounds could be mixed percussion music such as the NYC famous performance group “STOMP” which used some food, fruits, knifes tableware to create sounds. As people could go through the path, they will hear the tiny cooking sounds or enjoy the dynamic rhythm (percussion).