Rachel Reyes

The Cultural Connection Cart is a mobile pop-up, strategically designed to be located in shopping centres to engage with a diverse, multicultural audience. Its design draws inspiration from traditional cultural food carts, evoking a sense of nostalgia. Passerbys are encouraged to download and sign-up to the Palport app by scanning the working QR code, in return for a complimentary goodie bag. There are also interactive question cards readily available for submission on the side.

The chameleon cards pose a simple yet broad question: “What would you like to learn about your cultural heritage?” This question is intended to prompt individuals to reconsider their cultural knowledge. After noting down their thoughts, submitted responses will be placed in different areas of the popup for passerbys to see, read and relate to.

The Palport app is designed to allow individuals to explore, gain insights and connect with people who share the same cultural heritage as them. The app pairs individuals with ‘penpals’ from the same cultural backgrounds, facilitating the exchange of information that can help them discover more about their ethnic backgrounds. Offering an array of randomised or chosen prompts centred on topics like food, language, and traditions, the app serves as a valuable resource for those grappling with a loss of cultural identity or individuals simply seeking to deepen their understanding of their own culture(s).

The goodie bags distributed at the pop up cart feature a variety of fun promotional items. These include an informative flyer showcasing details about the campaign and its mascot, stickers, thought provoking bookmarks, and candies that pay tribute to the nostalgia of childhood. Elements are printed on Envirocare 100% Recycled, 300gsm.

I created my design research kits to explore the perspectives and experiences of second-generation immigrants in Australia. My aim was to determine if common cultural identity issues are relevant to a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds. The kits are designed to resemble passports and include interactive questions to encourage participants to share their thoughts on various aspects of their culture(s). Additionally, the boarding passes feature QR codes that allow participants to upload photos of meaningful cultural objects.

Using the responses from my Design Research Kit, I created an A1 Poster that synthesizes the insights gathered. The poster is divided into four distinct sections: Cultural connection, Food, Language, and Cultural Objects. It presents information about the aspects of culture that participants embraced and those they felt they needed more knowledge about.

Notably, 86% of participants expressed a strong desire to establish deeper connections with their ethnic heritage. This discovery served as the catalyst for me to transform these shared concerns into a positive campaign, designed to encourage people to connect through their cultural backgrounds and enhance their understanding.