The (Rebellious) Dinner
Our team aimed to explore concepts of rebellion and authoritarianism through tangible experience rather than theoretical discussion. Existing political dialogues often remained abstract, so we designed and orchestrated an immersive speculative dinner that physically manifested these power dynamics through food, ritual, and interactive artifacts.
Speculative Design
Experience Design
Participatory Design
(Visual) Storytelling
Project Overview
Project: The (Rebellious) Dinner, an immersive speculative dining experience
Context: Academic project, Speculative & Critical Design
Industry: Experiential Design, Social Commentary
Timeline: 6 weeks (2023)
My Role: Co-Creator & Experience Designer
Our team aimed to explore concepts of rebellion and authoritarianism through tangible experience rather than theoretical discussion. Existing political dialogues often remained abstract, so we designed and orchestrated an immersive speculative dinner that physically manifested these power dynamics through food, ritual, and interactive artifacts.
Design Solution
We created a fully immersive dystopian dining experience where participants became citizens under a fictional authoritarian regime. The solution combined:
Worldbuilding: A complete fictional universe with government propaganda, ration systems, and rebel movements
Interactive Artifacts: Invitation plates with hidden messages, government application forms, and a "Fortunate Lazy Susan" with provocative prompts
Environmental Design: An abandoned tram stop transformed into a rebel meeting place with authentic graffiti and atmosphere
Roleplay Protocol: Detailed character assignments and a subtly prompted narrative arc that evolved from compliance to rebellion
The experience successfully provoked deep reflections on power dynamics, compliance, and resistance, with participants demonstrating measurable shifts in behavior from initial obedience to eventual rebellion against the constructed authority.
