I began by noticing that we tend to see mirrors as a single plane, a flat surface.

This made me explore the possibilities of having multiple mirror planes, in various arrangements, which resulted in the magnification of an object.

With many more planes added, I arrived at a curved mirror surface - a single surface that contains multiple planes with a curved plane that magnifies seamlessly.

When I was using food in my exploration, I examined the interaction between mirrors and food, realising that the mirror’s ability to magnify food was fascinating. Exploring further, I found that this idea of magnification and amplification ties in very well with the concept of abundance that is valued in Chinese culture.

The Chinese gain pleasure from feasting and such indulgence is normally shared with many others in a communal setting. With such richness in the Chinese culture, along with the favoured value of abundance, are we able to amplify this through the use of mirrors? Hence, I looked into creating a specific collection of tableware, that could leverage on the reflection of the surface of food.

I found that the use of curved mirrors can enhance the abundance and richness of Chinese food through its magnification. As I explored various forms, I found a mirror can be a subtle element on the bowl, rather than the entire surface.

An illusion of two overlapping bowls is created, with the mirror being the underneath layer.

Beyond the rice bowl, I looked into the various traditional and standard dishes of Chinese cuisine, namely the fish, vegetables and soup.

Ying collection is a specific collection of tableware, that could play with the reflection of surface of food.
The tableware set magnifies dishes in the Chinese cuisine, promote abundance which the Chinese value. When used in contemporary modern Chinese restaurants, the collection seeks to magnify the pleasure gained through sharing the dishes in a communal setting as families and friends feast.

The design also individualises one’s experience of sharing in communal setting, with the personal mirror also acting as a conceal. With the cover up, this removes the embarrassment when taking too much or too little in a social setting, an unspoken rule in Chinese dining.

Rice is a Chinese cultural staple, emphasizing a healthier diet with less meat and more grains. The mirror in a rice bowl seamlessly blends, visually creating a heap when filled with rice. Additionally, the mirror amplifies the presentation of dishes, maintaining an appealing aesthetic even with a larger quantity of rice.

The tableware collection is formed by continuous curves, exhibiting elegance at different angles. The curved form is extended to various dishes that can be applied to meat, dessert, tea and more.

The design was selected for incubation under Design Incubation Centre, and further iterated there.

The design was also made stackable, in consideration of storage in restaurants and homes.

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