#bompassandparr

Discovering the art of jelly and getting that perfect wobble thanks to Bompas and Parr at the Sensorium on Regent Street.

Tomorrow’s the last day to check it out the pop-up!

13.09.15.. Crazy experimenters: BOMPASS & PARR + Remix session! 

After publication class Today, our team had the chance to collaborate and ‘remix’ with Jasper, Sarah and Adrian’s team.  During the remix session, Zoran (our publication lecturer) was in the same room showing a bit of interest to our conversation. He recommended us to search up BOMPAS & PARR; A group of experimental designers based in London.  BOMPAS & PARR was founded by Sam Bompas and Harry Parr in 2007, London. They lead in flavour-based experience design, “[giving] people incredible experiences primarily related to whats on the end of our fork”–FOOD! It all began when Bompas and Parr started experimenting with jellies making them in to different shapes and sizes. The bizzare jelly creations have awakened their interest in possibilities with jellies, later creating an unconventional project; “Architectural Jelly Banquet”;exploring the relationship between food and architecture. Today, they continue to explore and design more crazy projects, and here are some of their outlandish projects: 

“cooking with light”

(image: Editorial photography by Charlie Surbey / Wired © The Condé Nast Publications Ltd. Behind the scenes photography by Sam Bompas.)  As shown in the image, they literally cooked a steak with lightening heats. Collaborating with the University of Southampton’s Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory, they were successfully able to cook the meat using light heat with an average strength of a lightning strike. 

 Cooking with lava 

(Image: http://gizmodo.com/these-maniacs-cooked-steak-with-molten-lava-and-lightni-1613267270)  This project was a collaboration with Professor Robert Wysocki from the Syracuse University in upstate New York; an expert in creating artificial volcano/lava. I watched the video of the process, its incredible... and quite terrifying to watch the amount of lava (2,100°F heat) put into use for this project.. but seriously, who would think of such an idea!  After researching some of their extraordinary projects, I came to a realization that its really not about the food they are making, but merely about the process, experience and exploration they are designing around food. I mean, it didn’t have to be a steak...it could have been a soup or simply an egg, but after all–what ever the chosen food was, that wouldn’t have changed how incredible and astonishing this project idea was!  References:"Bompas & Parr". Bompasandparr.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Sept. 2016.

What started in New York City, and spread across the U.S. has finally crossed the pond: Grouper Social Club is now live in London.

Why London for our first European outpost? Because of you! The young, hungry and time crunched. The famous nightlife, the London eye, the clean streets of Mayfair and the gritty alleys of Shoreditch.

We also know how hard it is to meet new people outside of work these days, and we’re really excited to help YOU, our members, make new friends, 3 at a time.

Last Wednesday, April 9th, we set sail back to the Elizabethan "offline" era to mark the occasion in the most symbolic of ways. Here's a taste of our epic London Launch Party, brilliantly put together by the infamous party planners...

With famed creative events agency Bompas & Parr, we were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to “Drink Like Drake” aboard the Golden Hinde, the famous ship captained by Sir Francis Drake himself, which circled the globe twice during the 16th century.

Although its glory days are over, it now rests along the Thames River in London. We stepped into the famed adventurer's shoes for the night and time travelled back to 1563. 

Upon checking in, guests were given a scroll with their itinerary for the night.

After some drinks and chatting, guests formed into groups in true Grouper 3-on-3 style.

A mixologist shared the history behind the cocktail, which story has it, was invented by Sir Francis Drake. Because water harboured bacteria in the 1500s, most sailors drank alcohol, which they’d invigorate with spices from the ship’s cargo.

The mixologist taught guests how to concoct their own cocktails, before bottling it up to be judged at the end of the night.

Following the cocktail festivities, guests could explore the boat and stop by the fortune teller to see into their future.

Finally, it was time for a surprise...

... and in trotted a gorgeous white horse who stole the spotlight for the rest of the night! 

In true Grouper style, our special London guests had the chance to do things a bit out of the ordinary and mingle with new people. A night that will live on in our history!