From Connector to Cocktail

At Food Form Function, our month-long collaboration with USM Modular Furniture, every detail was designed to explore the relationship between food, form, and interaction. That philosophy extended all the way down to the ice.

For the exhibition, we partnered with Okamoto Ice, a New York-based artist collective known for crafting sculptural objects from crystal-clear ice. Together, we created custom ice spheres cast in the shape of USM’s iconic connector balls, a subtle but unmistakable reference to the modular system that served as the foundation for the entire installation.

The custom ice became a key element of our Pour Over Bar. The featured drink was a Coconut Tequila Old Fashioned, combining tequila, coconut water, mole bitters, and orange bitters. Poured over the custom ice, the cocktail evolved gradually as the sculptural spheres melted, revealing the connector form while subtly diluting the drink.

Sometimes the most memorable design moments are meant to be ephemeral, melting before your eyes.

Photos by: Photos by: @afrikarmando + Nicholas Persaud