Manchamanteles
Manchamanteles
Harvard Graduate School of Design
Department of Landscape Architecture
Spring 2022
Collaboration:
Rolando Girodengo
Advised by:
Belinda Tato
The tablecloth as Medium of Participation and Pedagogy
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Mole is an important dish in Mexican cuisine, it’s name comes from the Nahuatl word for sauce. There are many varieties and traditions, across geographies and cultures. Because of the complexity of the dish and its ingredients as well as the intensive labor required for it’s preparation, this is a meal that is often shared. Made in big batches, to share with family and friends.
One very popular recipe for mole is the “Manchamanteles” which translates to tablecloth-stainer, a rich and deep-brown sauce famous for staining clothes and mantles leaving traces of a delicious moment for posterity.
The project draws it’s name from the Manchamanteles mole, and seeks to create a space, literally a canvas, for the rich conversations often had when sharing a meal.
We belive that lifechanging conversations, those that open the doors into other universes often happen over the confort of a shared meal; talkin about the similitudes and differeces among our cultures and preferences. These designs seek to provide a framework for rich conversations that may build many much-needed bridges among people, at a time of polarization.
The project cosists of a series of tableclothes, embroided with graphical frameworks for chefs and diners to interact with. The series ranges from participatory to pedagogical tools, these can also become pieces for activations, polls and even games. The tablecloth as medium for participation.
After the party is over, the stained tablecloth acts as witness. Almost an archival note of what was learned tonight.
The four prototypes:
1. Five Circles
2. Matrix (X axis, Y axis)
3. Genealogy chart
4. Constellations
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Mole is an important dish in Mexican cuisine, it’s name comes from the Nahuatl word for sauce. There are many varieties and traditions, across geographies and cultures. Because of the complexity of the dish and its ingredients as well as the intensive labor required for it’s preparation, this is a meal that is often shared. Made in big batches, to share with family and friends.
One very popular recipe for mole is the “Manchamanteles” which translates to tablecloth-stainer, a rich and deep-brown sauce famous for staining clothes and mantles leaving traces of a delicious moment for posterity.
The project draws it’s name from the Manchamanteles mole, and seeks to create a space, literally a canvas, for the rich conversations often had when sharing a meal.
We belive that lifechanging conversations, those that open the doors into other universes often happen over the confort of a shared meal; talkin about the similitudes and differeces among our cultures and preferences. These designs seek to provide a framework for rich conversations that may build many much-needed bridges among people, at a time of polarization.
The project cosists of a series of tableclothes, embroided with graphical frameworks for chefs and diners to interact with. The series ranges from participatory to pedagogical tools, these can also become pieces for activations, polls and even games. The tablecloth as medium for participation.
After the party is over, the stained tablecloth acts as witness. Almost an archival note of what was learned tonight.
The four prototypes:
1. Five Circles
2. Matrix (X axis, Y axis)
3. Genealogy chart
4. Constellations