The typology of our built environment influences our behavioural patterns with food and healthy communities are built and generated from a healthy planet and based on responsible eating habits and connection to our geographical sites, says Dolly Daou.
My story with food design and innovation began in 2018 when I was invited by l’École de design, Nantes Atlantique – a design school in the West of France to take on the role of the Director of the Food Design Lab.
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As an interior designer this role changed my life and my entire outlook towards food consumption starting with my personal daily eating habits. I developed a food design methodology that combines my knowledge and expertise in urban design, anthropology, and interior architecture with food innovation.
I was collaborating directly with agri-business, the food industry, and policymakers to develop commercialised food products with ecological outcomes. Through eating practices and habits, we raised community awareness to take impactful actions to find solutions for a healthier planet.
Through my research and personal interaction with different cultures and across sectors I developed food design workshops that demonstrate the value of creating a healthy balance between food consumption and natural resources.
It’s healthy and it feels good.
The healthiest communities are those who appreciate their eating rituals, food sources and sensory experience, which means the pleasure of eating by savouring the taste and the experience. We are not eating just to fulfil a biological need but rather we are eating to savour memories.
Food sensory experience is directly linked to healthy eating habits, which influence food design topics, such as the protein transition, minimising food waste, exploring food systems, food and technology, food tech and circular economy.
It started with design innovation in Rome
Food design was established in Rome, Italy, in the 1980s, where design innovation, was and still is the main driver of this discipline to encompass the entire food supply chains, services and systems.
Food design has multiple definitions; however, at its the core it remains a discipline that prioritises sustainability and ecological practices to minimise the supply and demand pressure on our natural resources through responsible consumption.
This is about the connection and the interaction between people and their natural and built environments.
Healthy communities are built and generated from a healthy planet and based on responsible eating habits and connection to our geographical sites.
Food design is a way of life, directly and indirectly connected to our food ecosystems, which influence what, where, how, why and with whom we eat? We practise these eating habits in places we inhabit, place where we live, work, socialise, and develop our behavioural patterns, which influence our personal health and cultural identities.
Inhabit is an interior design word, where we practice our daily habits, which I broke down to being [in] habit, in our spatial and environmental conditions, and this includes our eating habits.
The typology of our built environment influences our behavioural patterns with food – especially our storing, cooking and eating patterns
Since food is part of our biological survival needs it plays a big part in our lives, and in our healthy connection to the natural resources that sustain us and our living lifestyle.
The typology of our built environment influences our behavioural patterns, especially our storing, cooking and eating patterns. When we understand our natural environment and its connection to our food supply chain, we learn to appreciate it and become more aware of our eating habits and patterns.
This is an ancient philosophy and belief that allows people to feel a stronger sense of belonging towards their identity and towards their culture through their connection to the natural resources. Our natural resources include the ecosystem and its biodiversity.
Once people understand the history and value of their natural environment, they learn to appreciate its rich ecosystem, of marine species, insects, plants, micro and macro-organisms which rely on each other for existence.
This is a domino effect just like the flow of the food chain – our survival depends on it. If one of the species becomes extinct, it influences the entire natural food chain and the survival and existence of other species, including the health and well-being of human beings. In this context a health planet is based on a healthy community.
Ancient philosophies have maintained this healthy relationship between people and their environment by following certain practices to maintain the health of the community by maintaining a healthy balance with the natural resources.
Recently, I developed a one-month media design and biology workshop titled: “5 Elements in West Lake”, China.
I based the objective of the workshop on ancient Chinese philosophy, the Five Elements. The objective of the workshop is to raise community awareness to sustain healthy communities through healthy environments.
By developing an active engagement and interaction between people and their natural resources food design as a discipline strengthens and highlights this connection to the natural and built ecosystems. Understanding this connection strengthens the appreciation, care and respect for the wealth of the nation’s natural resources starting with healthy daily eating habits in Australia and globally.
