‘laboratory of food analysis’ by lise lefebvre and maxime morel, detailed view plant extract processimage © designboom

french-born and amsterdam-based designers lise lefebvre and maxime morel have created ‘laboratory of food analysis’ for a design competition hosted by DA japan architects association in association with food guide publishers ZAGAT (and promoted by designboom) for tokyo designers week 2011. the shipping-container presentation is an interactive analysis of the nutritional supplement and diet industry as well as the modern person’s preference for customized, natural health remedies.

the visitor participates in a mock-scientific experiment in which he/she is physically assessed by a lab assistant in order for the lab to manufacture an ‘nutricard’ tailored to the needs of the individual. edible paper is soaked in plant extract with text printed in vegetable ink in accordance to the nutritional needs of the visitor based on the physiological information gathered by the ‘laboratory of food analysis’ consultation. the final step of the laboratory process is the consumption of the printed-card food supplement. the project was designed as a comical critique of the simplistic nutritional view held by the diet and nutrition industry.

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 2 view of the laboratory

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 3 maxime morel performs a vision examination with a laboratory visitor

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 4 lise lefebvre collects physiological information from a laboratory participant

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 5 view of participant results and nutricard

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 6 detailed view of participants results and nutricard image © designboom

‘for example, someone wearing glasses and with a slightly alkaline PH in their saliva will receive a personal nutricard with a high percentage of carotene to improve eyesight and printed with citrus extract, to re-balance their PH.’ -lefebvre and morel

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 7 detailed view of participants results and nutricard image © designboom

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 8the laboratory instruments

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 9 detailed view plant extract process image © designboom

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 10 detailed view plant extract process image © designboom

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 11 detailed view plant extract soaked edible cards image © designboom

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 12 the laboratory collects saliva samples in order to assess PH levels in this mock-scientific system image © designboom

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 13 laboratory assistants insert the participant’s physiological information with the analyzation

of this information occurring behind the divider image © designboom

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 14 a participant inserts their food analysis information in order to learn their nutritional needs image © designboom

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 15 the PH scale indicating participant needs, as fashioned by the ‘laboratory of food analysis’ scheme drawing by lefebvre and morel

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 16 concept of the ‘laboratory of food analysis’ rendering by lefebvre and morel

laboratory of food analysis by lefebvre lise + morel maxime - 17 concept of the ‘laboratory of food analysis’ rendering of lefebvre and morel