Designer Carlo Ratti's latest project is completely transforming how we shop for food

“The Future of Food District explores how data could change the way that we interact with the food that we eat, informing us about its origins and characteristics and promoting more informed consumption habits,” explains the award winning Italian design firm, Carlo Ratti Associati's in the project's press release.

Taking place in the heart of Expo Milan 2015, the pavilion, created in collaboration with COOP Italia, is a digital supermarket that examines the way in which technology could transform our relationship with food. With over 1,500 items displayed on large interactive tables visitors can browse the origins and content of any product with suspended mirrors augmented with digital data. The project is introducing whole-system thinking to the supermarket.

The Future of Food District also challenges our assumptions around growing and production; the plaza outside the supermarket showcases new ways of producing food, such as vertical hydroponic systems for growing vegetables, as well as algae and insect harvesting.

We need to develop a new level of consciousness when it comes to food. Understanding where our produce comes from will go a long way in ensuring it’s sustainable and healthy. While the supermarket industry has been slow to adopt the trend towards a more transparent product, some restaurants have realised the potential of putting transparent, local produce front and centre.