The Food for Thought workshop made use of design research, collaboration and fieldwork through the topic of Nature. Participants learned to research concept, narrative and experimented with material with contextual research. The Food for Thought project developed as workshop in Jingdezhen working with new designer-maker graduates and young designers in China. The program title Food for Thought covers the route from traditional making into building a perspective of making and connecting deeper thought and local awareness in design work. There is a need for new ways of learning about what design can do and how design can research into the world of practicing design tomorrow.
Throughout the workshop design fieldwork was put to practice by the theme of Food for Thought, a theme that interact with the large functional ware industry connecting dynasties of tableware, VOC influences, evolution in food experiences, to local industry, forgotten food, roots and future needs and awareness around food. The program hosted a Food for Thought workshop in Jingdezhen that consists out of design assignments that activate new tools such design thinking, collaboration and fieldwork, participants learn to explore and build a design practice that makes a difference in their locality and for their work field. Discussions and local fieldwork were led around the theme of food for thought, to have the participant interact with local sources, skills and perspectives.