+ SYMPOSIO

Illuminating the path to mindful nourishment

Symposio is a design for a dedicated eating space for mindful eating through light cues.

INNOVATION RELEVANCE

The lack of a dedicated eating space is the most important underlying cause of overeating, leading to many physical and mental problems. Obesity is a direct result of chronic overeating. When people do not eat mindfully at a dedicated space, they tend to eat larger portions, less healthy foods and do not respond to bodily cues on fullness, hence, eating too much. Moreover, it increases stress levels which leads to additional overeating. Designing dedicated eating spaces in homes is an effective strategy to battle overeating.

Light plays an interesting and often overlooked role in mindful eating. Through proper lighting, we can enhance our ability to see and appreciate the colours, textures and presentation of food, activating all our senses when eating. Lighting can also significantly affect the ambiance of a dining area, influencing our mood and stress levels. The contract between food and plate colour, influenced by lighting, can affect perceived portion sizes (higher contract leads to smaller portion sizes). Changes in lighting can serve as a cue to transition states for eating. Good lighting can enhance social interactions, which can slow down eating speed.

WHAT DOES IT DO

Symposio is an experiment to design a good eating space through light cues which can be implemented in any house environment. The system consists of a table piece and WiFi connected lights. By listening to the sounds produced at the eating space, the system recognizes whether the people eating are eating mindfully or not. Through changing lights and using light to nudge behaviour, it helps the people at the eating space to avoid overeating. 

ART RELEVANCE

Yiannis Kranidiotis‘ “Symposio,” reimagines the dining space as a sanctuary of mindful consumption. This innovative installation uses responsive lighting to transform eating from a routine act into a choreographed ritual of awareness. By analyzing dining sounds, the system adapts its illumination, subtly influencing portion perception and eating pace. “Symposio” combats the modern epidemic of mindless overeating by creating a dedicated space where light becomes a silent guide to healthier habits. It challenges us to rethink our homes as active participants in our well-being, offering a luminous path towards a more intentional relationship with food and each other. 

TEAM

Artist: Yiannis Kranidiotis

Studio: SOS

Art-driven innovation: In4Art

Science: KU Leuven

The HungryEcoCities project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement 101069990.