London Design Week: Wonderwater Café at Leila’s Shop

By Nogarlicnoonions @nogarlicnoonion

Staged in an existing café, this pop-up event is designed to raise awareness of the critical relationship between water and food. Wonderwater Café uses design as a medium to communicate the water footprint of food in an inspiring and provocative way, making us think about the impact of what we eat on local and global water resources and inspiring us to make responsible choices.

The Wonderwater menu indicates the breakdown of the water footprint of popular dishes from Leila’s menu showing how much water is used and where it comes from.

Will diners choose the Serrano Ham, Comté & Cornichon sandwich with a relatively high water footprint or the Farro salad with Squash & Feta with a much lower water footprint?

About Leila’s Shop

Leila’s Café is the brainchild of food expert and practitioner Leila McAlister, reputed for her choice of responsibly sourced food. Leila works closely with local communities and schools to promote healthy eating and environmental issues.

About Wonderwater Café

The first Wonderwater Café took place during Beijing Design Week in the autumn of 2011. “We wanted to focus on the water footprint because it is a complex issue where we believe design can play an important role in inspiring us to make sustainable choices. What we choose to eat can really make a difference”, says Curator Jane Withers. The second Wonderwater Café Helsinki is at the prestigious Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art from May 22 – Sept 16.

The concept is designed to travel and be adapted each time to different contexts. The programme for 2013 will be announced in October.

About Wonderwater

Wonderwater develops projects around the world aimed at raising awareness of global water issues and design for a sustainable future. The Wonderwater program for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 includes water-related events, an exhibition and workshops that will illuminate the significance of water’s role in our everyday lives of people around the world.

Wonderwater’s next steps include Wonderwater on the Baltic Sea, an exhibition inviting 16 designers to present a vision for the future of the Baltic Sea in the hope of inspiring change, opening at the Old Customs Warehouse at Katajanokka Helsinki Sept 27 – Oct 16. The international program for 2013 will be released later this year.

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