Zenia
A Luxury Chocolate Collection
Role
Product Designer
Year
2024
Team
Ahmet Önder Kasapçı, Öykü Ceren Karaayak
About Project
Zenia is a chocolate design project that explores the relationship between form, taste, and sensory experience. The project aims to create a distinctive product by combining aesthetic qualities with user interaction, transforming chocolate into a multi-sensory experience rather than just a consumable product.
Background Research
Before starting the design process, we conducted preliminary research to better understand the context of chocolate consumption, user expectations, and sensory qualities. This research provided a foundation for developing a more informed and experience-oriented design approach.
Chocolate Types
Terminology
Insights
In general, most chocolates are the main focus of the sweet/ dessert.
Specialised or artisanal chocolates reduce its role as a supporting role - instead elevating the spices as its main focus.
Chocolates, usually with more than 1 flavour, to achieve coherence, when 1 element is bitter, the other is usually sweet to balance out.
Usually creamy texture or nut-based mixture results in a coherent combination.
Berries and citric fruits are widely accepted but there is still plenty of room for experimentation with other fruits not expected to go with chocolate.
Initial Ideation
After brainstorming and coming up with a few different themes, we decided to go with the Japanese theme. First we drew some chocolate ideas and then we made physical models of them using plasticine. These chocolates mainly inspired from Zen Garden, Koi Fish, Flow of Water and Yin Yang
Final Design
Inspired by the Zen Gardens of Japanese culture, these special chocolates are designed with aesthetics and balance in mind. Calm tones from the zen gardens were chosen for the color palette and each chocolate was meticulously prepared to create a whole with the flavors they contain.
Technical Details
Solid Choolates
Manufucturing Process
While the chocolate was being tempered, powdered flavors were added and mixed homogeneously. It was then poured into the mold and kept until it cooled and then removed from the mold.
Filled Chocolates
Manufucturing Process
While the chocolate is tempering, powder flavors, if any, are added and mixed homogeneously. It was then poured into the mold and after waiting for a short time, the mold was turned upside down and the chocolate inside was poured out. The ganache was squeezed into the chocolate in the mold. After waiting for a while, chocolate was poured onto the mold again and after it was allowed to cool, it was removed from the mold.
Packaging
Flavor Card
This card accompanies the chocolate collection, presenting the different flavors and their ingredients in a visually engaging way. It enhances the unboxing experience while guiding users through the sensory qualities of each piece.
