Transforming Traditional Japanese and Indonesian Food Wrapping Using ATUMICS Approach

Using leaves as plates, wrappers, and packing materials relates to religious, medicinal, cultural, and traditional practices. In the contemporary design context, artists and designers face three key issues with traditional items: preservation, revitalization, and transformation. This article focused on the exploration of traditional food wrapping and its transformation in contemporary packaging design development, emphasizing transforming its distinctive characteristics for modern applications. The design exploration shows the adaptation of ATUMICS (Artifact, Technique, Utility, Material, Icon, Concept, and Shape) method in the process, rather than fully validated design prototype outcome that is ready-to-use by the manufacturers. The prototypes were explored based on food wrapping and packaging samples obtained from Bandung, Indonesia, and Kanazawa, Japan. A design survey was conducted to identify traditional packaging characteristics (material, structure, and symbolism) for contemporary design exploration. This study used the ATUMICS approach to integrate traditional elements with contemporary ones based on seven components: Artifact, Technique, Utility, Material, Icon, Concept, and Shape. The traditional food product packaging cases selected for the study include awug kipas from Bandung, bacang from Bandung, and triangular chimaki from Japan. The study contributes to the exploratory application of innovative and culturally rich modern packaging solutions, inspired by traditional practices. However, this article should be understood as a transformation study in packaging. The ATUMICS method aims to deepen cultural integrity by serving as the basis for material innovation, form change, and symbolic reinterpretation. It helps designers create packaging that is rooted in tradition, functional, and suited to modern needs.