TEMPACK
Can we introduce tools in our household to reduce meat consuption and to empower our routines with self-made fermented products?
Tempack was born from the need to create a tool for making tempeh, an Indonesian food, made from fermented legumes. The project highlights the opportunity of adapting traditional Southeast Asian flavors to Western habits through the semiotics of the final product, which aligns with familiar Western culinary cues. Tempack enables the production of tempeh with reduced plastic usage, encouraging the selfproduction of plant-based proteins.
This initiative highlights the innovative use of legumes and explores how to reimagine their visual integration in the Western landscape. It empowers users to produce their own food, fostering healthier diets while contributing to environmental sustainability.
University of Bolzano, Product Design
Project ATELIERPROJEKTE 2024
Prof. Kuno Prey PETG and silicone
Tempack consists of three parts: a perforated container and a lid, both made of PETG, and a silicone dish. The perforated container is ideal for growing molds used in traditional tempeh production (Rhizopus oligosporus) inoculated into legumes, as it allows an appropriate oxigenation throughout the growth process.
The silicone dish is used to press the legumes into the container. As the setup rests in a warm environment, the mycelium begins to grow and spread across the substrate, forming a compact, white-coated cake.
After cultivation is complete, the lid provides an airtight and odor-free solution for storing the tempeh in the fridge.
The container’s design features a geometry that imprints onto the final tempeh, guiding how it can be sliced and inspiring various culinary cues. This approach evokes similarities to familiar products like cheese and pizza.
The video demonstrates how Tempack can be used to produce delicious tempeh at home in just a few simple steps. https://youtu.be/daSSqXoBUYc
Additionally, a simple flyer was created to spread knowledge about the origins of the food and engage users in the hands-on practice of cultivating tempeh.
SPORE DROP
Can mycoforesting foster soil recovery after a wildfire and serve as an effective solution against erosion?
In this study about forest wildfire aftermath in South Tyrol, the importance of reforestation and native plant introduction for soil recovery after the devasting effect of a wildfire was emphasized. Through the developement of the Recovery Hive, based on mycoforesting principles, the tool is a medium to inoculate fungal spores and combat erosion.
In the forest, alongside the Recovery Hives, hangs the Data Hive, manufactured to inform visitors about the Recovery Hives and validate their importance for the environment. A flyer and a book containing the relevant research was also created.
University of Bolzano, Product Design Project Simbiosi Mutualistica with Stella Brandlhuber
Prof. Francesco Faccin
Mycelium and rope
Fruits hanging from a Sausage tree inspired the project shape and mechanics.
First Recovery Hives sketch. Inside of the mycelium shapes fungal spores from the same forest are placed, dormant. They can survive for many years thanks to mycelium insulating properties.
The Recovery Hives hang from a tree, patiently waiting for a wildfire to stike and activate them.
When the wildfire hits, the rope burns and the hives fall to the ground releasing the fungal spores in the soil. Spores have a very high thermal resistance therefore the fire doesn’t destroy them.
SPORE DROP highlights mushrooms as central elements: both as a structural material (Mycelium) and as a method for soil recovery (Mycoforesting through the inoculation of fungal spores). The same character plays both a structural and functional role.
Through our collaboration with the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, we analyzed in the laboratory a soil sample from the forest in Soprabolzano (BZ, Italy).
One of the key objectives of the mycoforesting process was the isolation of fungal spores naturally present in the substrate of the forest.
By reintroducing the same type of fungi, the project promotes ecosystem resilience and establishes a symbiotic balance that supports soil restoration efforts.
In the petri dishes, the selected fungi are growing; after a week, they are ready for placement in the Recovery Hive, where they will remain dormant until activation.
The project also explored mycelium as a material, given its many promising qualities currently being tested as a material of the future. When grown in a substrate, mycelium can take on the shape of any mold it is placed in.
The cultivation process is relatively simple and has a minimal environmental impact, both during growth and at the end of its lifecycle. Discarding mycelium leaves no harmful waste, as it is entirely biodegradable and can be reintegrated seamlessly into natural ecosystems.
The result is a durable, rigid wall that serves as a protective shell. Once the shapes are formed, they are dried to enhance their structural integrity and achieve a water-resistant surface. The intire process takes about 5 days.
The Data Hive shares a cohesive visual language with the Recovery Hives: suspended in the forest, it serves to justify the tools presence while educating visitors about the significance of environmental conservation and the principles of mycoforesting.
FERMA
How can we merge traditional crockpot craftsmanship with contemporary Hungarian aesthetics?
Ferma suggests a slower, more intentional approach to life. It invites us to pause and embrace the calm and patience needed for fermentation—reminding us that good things take time.
Rooted in traditional Hungarian porcelain techniques, this piece combines artisanal craftsmanship with a refined, contemporary aesthetic, both approachable and playful.
Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest, Product Design Project Dinner/Breakfast
Prof. Zsuzsanna Bokor Porcelain
The traditional de-gassing mechanism of crockpots is employed: a special channel that is filled with water to allow gases to escape during the fermentation process while preventing any outside air from entering. This design ensures a controlled environment for the fermentation, allowing the contents to develop properly while maintaining an optimal balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
The connection between the vegetable world was highlighted by casting the stem of a pumpking.
The stem of the pumpkin was used to create the handle of the lid and the main body, giving the design both an interesting and ergonomic look.
As a first step, a plaster positive was created on the pottery wheel to achieve a symmetrical and smooth shape. A plaster negative mold was made to pour the porcelain inside.
For the handles, using the pumpkin stem, a positive form was made with harder plaster to capture the organic details.
Liquid porcelain was poured into the molds, and the pieces were assembled before being left to dry. After a couple of days, the pot underwent bisque firing.
The second-to-last step was glazing, to waterproof the ceramic, followed by a final high-temperature firing in the kiln.
KACAT KUCKÓ
Can unused and unwanted objects be given a second life?
Kazat Kuckó (pronounced Cazat Cuzco) combines two Hungarian words: the first, meaning “trinkets,” and the second, a playful term often used by children, translates to “cozy nook.”
As part of the course Experimental Workshop 5 at Budapest’s University of Art and Design, we were tasked with creating a “parasite object” to inhabit an unused spot on campus, bringing a new value to the space. The resulting installation functions as a give-and-take hotspot, where items no longer needed by one person can become the cherished find of another.
Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest, Architecture Project Experimental Workshop 5 Prof. Pozsár Péter and Marcell Benson with Stella Brandlhuber Pine wood, metal screws and canvas
An unused entrance: two windows framing a liminal space where no one enters. The location played a key role in shaping certain features of the installation, such as its walkable design—both around and within and its shop-like aesthetic.
The structure is composed of boxes in various sizes, each one of them is labeled with a different category to ensure that everything stays organized.
One of the most cherished aspects of our project is the clothing section, created with the aim of combating textile overconsumption and the culture of disposable fashion.
The clothing section is organized into three parts: a rack for stacking shoes, another for pants and skirts, and a unique hanging system with hangers that can slide along the wooden axis but cannot be removed.
The hangers have a rounded end that fits into the horizontal channel.
