Mara Pezzotta

I am a multidisciplinary designer based in London with a background in Industrial and Interior design, currently working as a Product Designer at Chrome Cherry Design and Innovation based in UK and USA. With Chrome Cherry we have designed products sold in a range of different industries across the world, taking new product ideas all the way to the production line and beyond.

I am also currently working with designer Gianni Arduini on the concept of Controversial Design which examines the way we explore Sex, Food and Death with design. In this project we analyse – within these three areas – how social behaviours influence and shape objects and artifacts and how their use and consumption influence society in return, exploring the taboos and challenges and how to tackle them with design.

My role in food design is gradually developing alongside my product design role and it is strongly connected with my Controversial Design research. Humans do not solely consider food as fuel for life, but as something full of complex cultural meanings. Food can communicate power and sacrality, it can bring people together or highlight differences, and generates memories and pleasure. Food development can be driven simultaneously by both unchangeable traditions and unconventional innovations, and as designers our role is to explore every possible opportunity for further development, especially in areas where there is still strong disagreement in society – e.g. environmental issues.