Panem Breakfast Set

Date: 2011 (improved in 2020)

Project type: university

Duration: 4 months

Prompt: Design a breakfast tableware set and produce 4 pieces using plaster moulds and the potter's wheel.

Panem is a breakfast tableware set designed around ergonomics and usability.

Tableware has changed very little in centuries. Cups and mugs are rarely stackable, and handles are usually too thin and not made to easily support weight. This project aims to innovate in those areas.

The project was initially created early in my university course in 2011. The pieces designed at the time are visible on the render bellow. It was completed in 2020 with espresso and tea cups, proper CAD drawings and renders.

Inspiration and Ideation

The mug and the tea pot.

The mug draws inspiration from the classic Coca-Cola bottle. The curved silhouette allows for a stackable design, solving one of the main flaws of most mugs: storage.

The tea pot was inspired by the elegant lines of Walter Gropius's tea pot, referencing the continuity from the handle to the lid.

All other pieces of the breakfast set follow the design language of these two.

Research and Design

The mug is the main piece of the set. The challenge was to make it stackable without hurting the ergonomics of the handle.

Several mugs were trialed. This experiment revealed that the classic handle design requires a significant amount effort and discomfort from the finger bellow it to keep it from tipping. The 2 images on the left show how reversing the handle removes the need for a finger bellow it, which eliminates unnecessary discomfort and makes it easier to use by people with hand disabilities.

Combining a reversed handle with a stackable mug required a radical handle design:

The resulting handle requires almost no effort to keep the mug straight and better distributes the weight on the fingers.

In 2020 the design was made larger to more easily fit 2 fingers inside the handle.

The Tea Pot

A large and thick handle makes it easy to hold and manipulate. The design features a handle geometry that flows to the spout. It requires no extra mould for the handle.

The Milk Jug

Similar to the tea pot but smaller with an open top and no lid.

The Tea Cup and Saucer

The tea cup follows the design language of the mug and is also stackable.

Also suitable for cappuccinos.

The Sugar Bowl

The sugar bowl diverges a bit in shape from the mug, given that it isn't made to support liquids.

The Espresso Cup and Saucer

The espresso cup can hold a double espresso with ease. It follows the mug design language and is stackable.

The Bowl and Plate

The bowl is also stackable and features a bottom inspired by wine glass stems. It vastly improves the ease of holding (specially when you're eating a bowl of cereal and watching netflix on the sofa).