TABLETOP TRAVELS

A multi-sensory dining experience designed for older adults with barriers to accessing cultural activities

 
 
 
 

The experience is designed to promote the feeling of being transported to another place and ‘presence’ at that location through taste, music, audio soundscaping and storytelling. 

 

Imagined as a way for older adults with barriers to accessing cultural activities due to longterm illnesses or disabilities to broaden their experiences and enjoy the pleasures of dining and travel without the need to leave their home or care setting to access them. 

The tabletop box is a beautifully curated and decorated interactive device that arrives in the person’s home including a 4-course meal and in-built speaker. As each course is placed in the centre, an accompanying audio piece explores the food story and flavours behind the dish with interesting and entertaining information by the host chef to accompany the user step by step through their meal. 

The first Tabletop Travel prototype encapsulates the sounds, tastes and colours of India, with Kalpna Woolf (91 Ways) sharing her nutritious and delicious food, together with her unique and entertaining personal stories in her relaxed, warm and friendly style. 


Tabletop Travels is one of six prototypes produced for Connecting Through Culture As We Age, which is funded by the UKRI Healthy Ageing Challenge through the University of Bristol. The aim is to improve the quality of life for older populations, particularly those that are disabled, or racially or socio-economically minoritised.


Collaborators

Partners
91 Ways (Natalie Ward and Kalpna Woolf)
Alive Activities (Georgina Densley)

Co-Researchers
Jeane Ellin
Clare Finnimore

Critical Friends
Abas Kulmiye
Erica Harrison

Food Design and Voice Over
Kalpna Woolf

Sound Design
Paul Macmahon

Box Painting
Ritu Sood

Academic Researchers
Stuart Gray and Tot Foster


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