Research focus: social rituals, post-pandemic design, material perception & hygiene, mediated interaction, sustainable materials

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Sharing and serving food is a foundational social ritual. Beyond nourishment, communal eating establishes care, trust, and connection. Nouri examines how this ritual can be preserved when physical proximity becomes constrained.

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Developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nouri is a set of extended serving utensils designed to mediate interaction during shared meals. At two feet in length, the utensils introduce intentional distance while maintaining the social act of serving. Rather than eliminating contact, the design reframes it—slowing the gesture, increasing awareness, and reducing anxiety around hygiene.

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The utensils combine antimicrobial metal with locally sourced reclaimed wood salvaged from New York–area construction sites. Material choices were informed by research into hygiene perception, sustainability, and the emotional role of touch and proximity in domestic and communal settings.