Svaberg - Tableware made for inclusivity, accessibility and independence.

Eating is a fundamental human necessity that also holds cultural, nutritional and social meaning. Bowls and plates are universal tools across food cultures, yet conventional tableware often assumes a level of motor skills that not all users possess. Where traditional tableware can make eating unnecessarily difficult for individuals with reduced hand and arm function, whether it is due to age, illness, injury or lifelong conditions. Challenges linked to eating can undermine a person's sense of confidence, independence, safety and comfort in social food-related situations.

The current market for inclusive and accessible tableware is still lacking and leaves the users feeling unsatisfied. Many of the existing products prioritize utility and functionality, ignoring the importance of aesthetics and social meaning. Resulting in many existing products taking on the appearance of either medical devices or child-oriented tableware, which can lead to users experiencing them as stigmatizing. Eating is not to be perceived as just a task, it is a social event that creates identity and community.

The project is grounded in literary reviews, as well as participatory and practice-based research methods. Through expert interviews with users, factory and production managers and occupational therapists’ insights and experiences have challenged and helped guide the project's development. 

Through iterative processes, both functionality and aesthetics have continuously been refined and adapted to emerging challenges. Working hands-on in the workshop provided insights and embodied experiences, allowing ongoing physical testing throughout the project.

Svaberg is a universally designed accessible tableware, with added features that provide increased support. It consists of two plate variations, one with additional structural support, and one without. Thus allowing flexibility for varying needs and preferences. The main features are a raised edge for guidance and stability, an island that supports intuitive motions when eating and a minimal colour contrasting rim to aid users with reduced vision.