In a fusion of culture, design, and gastronomy, 21 University of Minnesota students embarked on a transformative learning abroad program to Singapore in January with College of Design professors Carlye Lauff and Barry Kudrowitz. With a focus on the intersection of food and design, their trip proved to be a rich exploration of Singapore's vibrant culinary scene and innovative design landscape.
"I have always loved food and cooking, and Singapore has always been a place I wanted to see,” says Madeline Koul, a product design major. “I thought of it as sort of a bucket list item, so it was amazing being able to visit so early in my life. It also helped that I was able to get credit towards my degree.”
During the trip, U of M students collaborated with peers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design and the National University of Singapore to rethink “hawker centers”—iconic food hubs in Singapore. “My group was designing solutions to the challenge of finding open tables in hawker centers,” says product design major Tristan Kmoch.
Kmoch’s group aimed to enhance the dining experience without compromising the cultural essence embedded within a hawker center’s communal space. “There is a kind of awkward period after you grab your food where you are wandering around trying to find a table, and we wanted to make that experience easier,” Kmoch says. “It was a great topic because hawker centers have embedded cultural practices and we didn't want to make something that fundamentally changed the experience.”
The solution? The students designed a system with occupancy lights over the tables so customers can visually spot open tables from anywhere.
The heart of the students' journey lay in their hands-on engagement with Singapore's culinary and design spheres. From farm visits to cooking classes and wet-market explorations to dining at renowned Michelin-starred hawker stalls, every experience contributed to their understanding of Singapore's food culture.
“One of my favorite days was learning to cook laksa, a Singaporean noodle dish,” says Koul. “It was taught by a professional chef, and we all cooked together in her home. As someone who loves to cook, this was a dream come true. It was wonderful to learn from her and more deeply understand the culture behind Singaporean cuisine.”
Reflecting on the program, students were captivated by Singapore's unique blend of tradition and innovation and its seamless integration of architecture, transportation, and civic infrastructure. “There were a lot of great parts on this trip, but the overall experience of finding out about a new culture in a first-person way was my favorite,” says Kmoch.
Explore studying abroad opportunities with the U of M Learning Abroad Center.
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