Working in multidisciplinary teams isn’t new in the field of design and innovation. However, the bringing together of a creative team to explore the complete mind body sensation of colour is certainly news to my ears.
According to the website, The Waldorf Project: Chapter Two / Colour is “…an immersive experience…will unite the senses through food, scent, drink, movement, sound, and environment.” Except that it isn’t. In reality it is way more fun than that.
Conceived and directed by British artist Sean Rogg, this unique theatrical production is the result of over two years hard graft and imagination brought to life by a crew consisting of: a food designer, a choreographer, a production designer, a costume designer, a sommelier, and a sound designer.
Curious to find out what colour tastes like, I was excited to don an all-black outfit and make my way to The Oval Space in East London for a matinee preview of an event that promised all guests would experience what if feels like to eat, smell, hear and touch colour.
Upon arrival, I was a bit miffed to find that not all the guests had followed the monochrome only dress code. Tut. Still, never mind. After selecting a little coloured block (a choice between red, blue, orange and purple) we were escorted into the huge main space where we spent the next 3 hours moving through the various colour zones, having our senses overwhelmed, toyed and messed with – in an altogether extraordinary but strangely wonderful way.
Designed to capture the look, sound, feel, taste and smell of its designated colour, each of the cube-shaped environments delivered a multi-sensory experience that was fuelled by a softly pulsating soundtrack that may (and I really am just guessing here) be described as ‘minimal’; choreographed dancers in white, architectural Issey Miyake inspired creations who silently ‘controlled’ the environment via their movements, gestures and eye contact, serving food consisting of a single cube, and fine wine in exquisite Waterford crystal tumblers.
While immersive food, drink, arty events aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, I would highly recommend The Waldorf Project Chapter Two / Colour to anyone who is interested in dining out. Like all good multi-sensory experiences, it certainly got me more than just thinking. And like all brilliant days out, you really had to be (all) there.
The Blue room aka The Fifth Element does Come Dine With Me
A dancer serving food cubes
Dessert(ish) food cubes see red
Feeling the blues