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D06

The Farewell Cafe

Design for death, Quality of end of life,
Animation, Story telling



Discursive design, Food design, Experience design
November 2022

Procreate, Premiere, Model making

Abstract


People deserve a well-designed end of life just like every part of their lives before that. It is important to be in charge of it and have options other than lying in hospital beds.

Under the background which dying with dignity (using euthanasia drugs) is legal with permission from doctors, the project aims to design beyond the experience of dying with pills to sharing a final meal and ritual with loved ones.

Design outcome: A farewell café, which provides 1) the bucket list menu, 2) the memorial planning menu and 3) euthanasia cakes for ordering and customize making (5 cake design trials).




Inspiring talks


Design for the end of life | Elaine Fong | TEDxSanFrancisco
We’re Doing Dying All Wrong | Ken Hillman | TEDxSydney
Lessons from a hospice nurse: Alia Indrawan at TEDxUbud
Live fully through death awareness | Jennifer James | TEDxSnoIsleLibraries
Living, Dying and the Problem with Hope | Dr. Leslie Blackhall | TEDxCharlottesville

Idea Summary:


People deserve a well-designed end of life just like every part of their lives before that.
It is important to be in charge of it and have options other than lying in hospital beds.



Background:


Dying with dignity (using euthanasia drugs) is legal with permission from doctors.



Design challenge:


Dying with pills is better than waiting for death without control over it, but it can still be improved.



Design insight:


Death should not be cold and scary, it should be talked about, and blend into daily life.



End your life with delicately designed food, a final coffee or cake, picked from a cafe


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The farewell cafe









The Menu


This is the menu provided by the farewell cafe. Customers can make their bucket list and plan their memorial.






The cake designs



Keywords:  


life, bond, love, warmth, joy, peace, caring

Eating experience: Shared with loved ones

Senario: During the final living memorial,
                for celebrating the person's life with the person there


Why choose cakes:


--People should have something good and warm to look forward to even at the end of life.

--Sweets and desserts are limited to control weight during life, but at the end of life, it is time to leave these restrictions behind and think less rationally and fulfill our wishes.

--Having dessert at the end of a meal feels elegant and complete for an ending. It is a similar idea to having a good ending for a lifetime.




A）The Cake of Life

Ingredients: Apple jam (green), cream, spinish, haw candy (for hero/heroine)

The idea: Leaves are representation of life, and at the end of life, bears fruit.






B) The Chocolate Bond


Ingredients: Chocolate jam, banana cream (yellow), strawberry cream (for hero/heroine)


The idea: Death breaks the bonds as well as resctrictions, and return to your authentic self.





C) The Plum Blossom

Ingredients: Chocolate jam, peach cream, marshmallow (light pink), plum candy (for hero/heroine)

The idea: At the end of everything, isn't it nice to know that you'll become a beautiful flower?






D) The Cake of Joy

Ingredients: Chocolate jam, cream, marshmallow (pink), haw candy (for hero/heroine)

The idea: May there be amusement parks in heaven.





E) The Puppy treat

Ingredients: biscuits for dogs, cherry flavor bone shape candy(for hero/heroine), paper stick

The idea: Have one more meal with your beloved puppy. Feed him one last time.