Within many Black households, conversations around mental health and emotional wellbeing are often unspoken. Bridge responds to this silence by reframing difficult conversations through softness, routine and togetherness.

Food is treated as both material and metaphor - a universal love language within Black culture, rooted in nourishment, tradition and time spent together.

The project began with research-led exploration, including surveys and case studies with Black mothers and daughters from different backgrounds. Early prototyping focused on creating low-pressure environments where conversation could happen naturally alongside shared activity.

Through iterative testing, the project evolved from a mental-health focused brief into a more intimate, human-centred outcome centred on bonding, comfort and familiarity.

The final outcome is Bridge Box - a week-long bonding experience designed for Black mothers and daughters.

The box contains:

• Five themed booklets

• Five recipes

• Conversation prompts

• Hand-designed placemats and textiles

Each day pairs a topic with a shared cooking experience, allowing conversation to unfold organically rather than being forced.

A strong emphasis was placed on materiality and tactility.

Pattern, textile and print were used to soften the experience and ground it in cultural familiarity. Cotton wax prints and handmade elements were selected to reflect warmth, care and tradition.

The physicality of the objects - sewing, printing, assembling - was central to the project’s intention.

Bridge demonstrates a practice rooted in empathy, cultural awareness and hands-on making. The project balances research, storytelling and material exploration to create a design outcome that is both intimate and intentional.