Storypieces

2026

Digital

Location/Frankfurt
Category/Bachelor Thesis
Date/January 2026
Role/Concept, UX/UI Design, Brand Identity, AI

This bachelor thesis develops an innovative service concept that transforms broken or unused tableware into unique objects by combining traditional Kintsugi craftsmanship, sustainable design, and artificial intelligence. The project merges the Japanese Wabi-Sabi philosophy with circular design: users upload photos of their tableware pieces to the app, generate individual design proposals using AI, and select their preferred option. After placing an order, they send in their ceramics and receive the handcrafted objects, created by artisans according to the digital design. The thesis analyzes consumer behavior and sustainability challenges, develops a complete UX/UI concept including corporate design, and establishes a model for resource-efficient, emotionally meaningful consumption.

Goal

Tableware breaks — and usually gets thrown away. The goal was to challenge that reflex by building a service around the idea that damage can be a starting point rather than an ending. The project needed to make Kintsugi accessible without stripping it of its meaning, bridging a centuries-old craft with the expectations of a contemporary, sustainability-minded user.

Solution

A mobile-first app concept lets users photograph broken pieces and generate AI-assisted Kintsugi repair designs before committing to an order. The digital proposal acts as a bridge between the user's emotional attachment to an object and the artisan's hands-on work. The resulting UX/UI and brand system were designed to feel considered and warm — reflecting the philosophy that imperfection, handled with care, becomes something worth keeping.