In the lead-up to each issue, we challenge emerging designers to respond to the Frame Lab theme with a forward-looking concept. Remote travel destinations are growing in popularity as consumers increasingly seek exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. But how do you offer hospitality in uncharted environments? In our May/June 2020 issue Frame 134, three emerging designers shared their ideas.

Composed of powdered supplements, dehydrated vegetables and compact cooking equipment, Jisun Kim’s travel package enables visitors of remote destinations to become self-sufficient. A complementary app helps travellers source seasonal ingredients on site to be combined and prepared with elements included in the portable kit. With a Bachelor in Interior Design from Seoul’s Sookmyung Women’s University and five years of professional experience at WGNB in her pocket, Kim is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in product and furniture design at Kingston University London.

Access to typical food suppliers is rare at uncharted travel destinations. You came up with a solution.

JISUN KIM: Yes, I dreamed up a compact, portable package with dry ingredients and cooking utensils that travellers can take on their journeys. Protein intake may be insufficient at locations with limited access to regular food supplies. The powders I propose – made from lab-grown or plant-based meat, and edible insects – will function as supplements. Dehydrated vegetables, in turn, can be used as a snack or incorporated in soups or stews. And various flavour-enhancing spices will be included in the package, too. It’s all about finding a balance between taste and nutrition. To ensure the health of the traveller, each package will be tailored to the individual’s physical condition.

Why do you suggest the use of lab-grown foods and meat substitutes to create the powder supplements?

There’s not enough farmland and livestock to sustain the world’s ever-increasing population. Therefore we need to find alternatives for the traditional farming industries. I foresee that the consumption of synthetic foods will grow in the future, and I believe customized supplements will improve personalized diets. 

What about the natural resources available on site? Will travellers be able to combine them with your dried ingredients?

My portable cooking set will be accompanied by an app that provides a list of ingredients that can be sourced locally at the traveller’s destination, as well as simple cooking instructions. The app adds an element of play. It sends users on a quest for seasonal ingredients, as if they are carrying out a mission in a game. Once all components of the chosen dish are gathered, they can be prepared using the cooking tools and seasoning powders from my package. In a way the concept also functions as an alternative travel guide since it teaches users about the natural environment they are visiting.

How will you limit the impact the user of your travel kit will have on the environment?

Packaging will be made of bioplastics and other biobased materials. In addition, I will include a portable solar panel that can generate the energy required to power the set’s small induction hob and the device hosting the app. 

lalalajisun.com

Get your copy of Frame 134 here.