Illumineat

Illumineat faced several key challenges. It needed to merge luminous porcelain artistry with the practical demands of a portable serving tray. Customisation was essential to create a unique dining experience, while the tray had to remain lightweight, durable, and easy to move between kitchen, dining, and display settings. The design also adhered to circular economy principles, using sustainable, small-batch handcrafted “slow clay” techniques. A final technical challenge was developing a discreet battery system capable of powering the light throughout an entire service period, without compromising the piece’s visual elegance or functional integrity.

Illumineat was designed to align with the ethos of a luxury hotel brand committed to art-driven experiences, offering a refined and immersive approach to dining. Through extensive material exploration, luminous porcelain was handcrafted into a lightweight, durable tray, effortless to carry yet visually striking. A compact, integrated battery system provides soft, continuous illumination throughout the service period. Customisable porcelain surfaces allow the experience to be tailored for special events or guest moments, adding exclusivity. Sustainability remained central, with slow-clay, handcrafted small-batch production techniques honouring craftsmanship. The final design transforms food service into a theatrical, elegant, and unique multisensory experience.

Illumineat responds to a luxury hotel’s call for innovation to create a dining experience that connects with guests on multiple sensory levels. Handcrafted from Australian Lumina porcelain, the tray is lightweight, durable, and visually striking, balancing both functionality and artistry.A compact, rechargeable LED system is integrated to provide even illumination throughout the evening, ensuring ease of use for hospitality. The design emphasises energy efficiency and responsible material sourcing, reflecting a strong commitment to sustainability. By blending design, technology, and environmental ethics, Illumineat delivers a sensory dining experience that aligns with the evolving values of craftsmanship and sustainability commercial sector.

Illumineat reimagines functional objects as luminous artworks, blending beauty, sustainability, and utility to create a striking, multisensory dining experience. It serves as both an elegant portable tray and a sculptural, handcrafted work of art. Developed in response to a luxury hotel brief, the design began with extensive testing of Australian Lumina porcelain for its unique translucency and strength. Crafting thin, 2mm sheets of porcelain posed challenges due to firing complexities, but artist Sarah Tracton mastered this delicate process to produce a lightweight, durable tray with an ethereal, glossy finish that glows with iridescent ambient light. A major breakthrough was integrating a compact rechargeable battery and LED system, providing even, soft illumination while preserving the piece’s minimal weight and elegance. Refinements in slip-casting thickness and modular internal housing optimised ergonomics and electronics embedding. Illumineat also features surface customisability, enabling bespoke porcelain detailing for special events or VIP moments, enhancing exclusivity and connection. Sustainability was central throughout, with slow, small-batch production using locally sourced porcelain minimizing waste and honoring craftsmanship. The final design elevates food service into a theatrical, multisensory experience that sparks conversation, and sets a new and original standard for functional luxury.