MARTHA ANDREWS
INTERIOR & ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGNER
Design a way to make healthy eating appealing to young people.
FEED THE PLANET: THE DAILY DIET
2014
Featured in GIDE (Group International Design Education) Exhibition, Milan Oct, 2015
Unhealthy diets are a huge problem affecting young people across Europe and the rest of the world with Scotland having amongst the highest rates of obesity in the world. Many campaigns already exist trying to encourage healthy eating but most are not as successful as they should be.
The National Health Service 5-a-day campaign introduced in 2002 highlights the importance of eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. However, an NHS survey reports although 85% of people know we should eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day only 47% of people had done this the day before the survey. JIBE aims to challenge the limitations of the many campaigns that already exist in a bid to change behaviours towards the everyday diet.
JIBE is a series of revolving market kitchens open to the food entrepreneurs and small businesses of Dundee. This flexible space located in Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, at the heart of Dundee’s creative industry, allows local food enthusiasts to sell their products on a rotational, short-term basis. JIBE intends not to enforce a strict diet of low fat, low calorie, “healthy” foods but rather seeks to ensure a balanced diet through a variety of menus that will regularly change. Choice is key.
The word “JIBE” is a sailing term for a change of course/direction in accordance with the wind. This reflects one of the main sources of inspiration for the design: sail structure and rigging. The versatile nature of sailing boats - the way they can adapt to different weather conditions and environments - is imitated throughout the market kitchen space reflecting the importance of healthy choices and a varied diet.
Influenced by small space design - in particular the galley kitchen of a boat - JIBE comprises a series of five kitchenettes each offering different ranges of food. The navy blue and white stripes represent those of the traditional sailor's uniform as well as reflecting the striped awnings of a market place and the stripes of the classic butcher's apron.
Finance can be a real barrier to healthy choices with “healthy foods costing three times as much as unhealthy foods.” JIBE operates money-less kitchens, which use a token system, ensuring healthy options are available to all.
With its adaptable nature, JIBE is a space that responds to demands as they arise. As a constantly changing environment, JIBE will keep a diverse student population interested as well as encouraging a balanced diet. The literal but subtle nature of the design strives to convey the importance of a balanced diet in an innovative, non-intrusive way, encouraging people to make their own healthy choices.