The Sausage of the Future

The final publication Sausage of the Future takes the reader on a journey through all the building blocks of a sausage. It stops along the way to explore issues like moistness, flavoring, glue, and preservation. The publication catalogues different types of sausages and presents lesser-known ingredients, carefully selected for their potential regarding the future. In our days, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), we are facing a serious shortage of protein-rich-food. The reason is the overconsumption of animal products. Meat, in particular, will be scarce: thus, we need alternatives.

The sausage is one of mankind’s first-ever designed food items. A paragon of efficient butchery, it was originally designed to make the most of animal protein in times of scarcity. With its wide variety of sizes and its endless choice of possible fillings, the sausage offers itself again to take a pioneering role. This time, not only to make the most of animal protein, but to be a shell for all kinds of nutrition.

Main applicants

ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne
Carolien Niebling (project leader)

Research team

Supervision
Luc Bergeron
Thilo Alex Brunner
Alexis Georgacopoulos
Anniina Koivu

Mock-ups
Gabriel Serero
Herman ter Weele

Graphic design and illustrations
Helge Hjorth Bentsen
Olli Hirvonen

Photography
Emile Barret
Noortje Knulst
Jonas Marguet

Period

march 2014 – november 2017

Supported by

ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne

Dissemination

Publication
Carolien Niebling, The Sausage of the Future, Zurich: Lars Müller Publishers, 2017.

Exhibitions

Design Parade, Hyères, Villa Noailles, June 30 – Sept 24, 2017.
Hublot Design Miami, Miami, December 7, 2017.
The Sausage of the Future, Milan, SaloneSatellite, April 4–9, 2017.
WantedDesign, Brooklyn, May 17–21, 2018.
Design Parade, Hyères, Villa Noailles, June 29 – September 23, 2018.
Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven, Strijp, October 20 – 28, 2018.
Food Revolution 5.0, Winterthur, Gewerbemuseum, December 2, 2018 – April 28, 2019
FOOD: Bigger than the plate, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, May 18 – October 10, 2019.
Broken Nature: Design Takes on Human Survival, Milano, Triennale, March 01–November 09, 2019.
Serial Eater, Hornu, CID Grand-Hornu, May 27 – November 29, 2020.
Design Preis Schweiz, Langenthal, November 02 – 10, 2019.

Awards

Winner of Design Prize Switzerland (Research) – 2019
Winner of Norway’s most beautiful books competition (Nonfiction) – 2018
Silver Hare (second prize) in Hochparterre’s Die Besten (design and research category) – 2017
Winner of Hublot Design Prize – 2017
Winner of Design Parade Hyères Grand Prix at Villa Noailles – 2017

Press

Conferences

And the day after? lecture, TEDxGeneva, Geneva, March 22, 2018
Semi-Permanent, lecture, Semi-Permanent, Auckland, August 15, 2019
Design Indaba conference, lecture, Design Indaba, Cape Town, February 27, 2019
Future of Production, Panel talk, Global Design Forum at V&A, London, September 14, 2019
Sustainability by Design: Innovation for a Circular Economy, Panel talk, Swissnex, San Francisco, January 14, 2020

Emile Barret - Mortadella collage.jpg — Collage deconstructing a mortadella on a back-ground of a macro image of broccoli, alongside the traditional pork, also broccoli, carrots, romanesco, cauliflower and pistachio nuts. © Emile Barret

Jonas Marguet - 5 Close - Liver.jpg — Mild liver combined with a tangy and sweet raspberry gel. © Jonas Marguet

Noortje Knulst - Sausage slices.jpg — © Noortje Knulst

YouneÌs Klouche - TheFutureSausage_props.02.jpg — Anatomical Sausage Model: Fruit Salami by Carolien Niebling. ECAL/Younès Klouche