dulcemente
Coffee & Tea Set • 5 Weeks • Fall 2025
A labor of love
Create a product that combines Costa Rican custom with modern marathon running. Solve a modern problem with traditional practices, using an innovative system of vessels as a bridge.
Runners often dislike the goopy texture of gels
Additives in gels can cause gastrointestinal issues
No pockets? No place to store gels
Gel packaging is single use, and is often thrown on the ground during a race
There are a variety of pain points with commonly-used energy gels, yet refueling with sugar is essential for such a lengthy race...
Runners need a simpler, more natural form of energy.
1
Smash tapa dulce into pieces using hammer or against surface.
Traditional Agua Dulce Process
2
Costa Rican Roots
Often drank by farm laborers before work, agua dulce is a warm beverage that originated in Costa Rica, made using hot water and tapas: concentrated blocks of sugarcane.
Add boiling water and piece of tapa dulce to a mug.
3
Stir until tapa dulce piece is dissolved into water and enjoy.
Design Goal:
Create a secure, fast, and portable agua dulce set to allow marathon runners to refuel naturally throughout a run.
Ideation and Sketching
3D Development and Validation
Done by a friend who did not know anything about the project to avoid bias
Grip lower than expected
Grip as expected
Grip as expected
Grip more precarious than expected
Grip lower than expected
Final Direction
Corrugated paperboard, Bristol paper
Digital Modeling and 3D Printing
Fusion 360, Bambu Printer
Final “White Models”
Final Renders
This image was created with the assistance of Google Gemini, an AI tool.
