Platinum Winner of the International Excellence Awards 2026

Adagio

Product

Sustainable Packaging for Products

Completed / Built / Company

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Architect / Designer:

SERAPHINA SOL

Studio:

SERAPHINA SOL

Design Team:

ARTIST | DIRECTOR – SERAPHINA SOL

Copyright:

SERAPHINA SOL

Country:

Canada

Some ingredients are measured in grams. Others are measured in years. Adagio explores the hidden timelines behind bean-to-bar chocolate and reveals the slow systems of growth and environmental care embedded within every bar.

Numerical timestamps and illustrations record the years and elements of nature that make each chocolate, making visible the time embedded in every ingredient. The warmth of the sun, the steady rhythm of cultivation, and the interdependence of natural systems shape the design. Across the series, three distinct designs align and stack to form a subtle piano motif, with box spines creating a sequence of black and white keys. Rooted in observation, the design connects each bar to the ecosystems that sustain it, making environmental care inherent to its form.

Rendered in earth tones inspired by harvest landscapes, the packaging connects chocolate quality to thoughtful craftsmanship and the health of the ecosystems that sustain it. Adagio is conceived as a deliberate design shaped by time. Taking its name from the musical term for a slow, measured tempo, the project reflects the pace of growth, cultivation, and care while highlighting the importance of working in balance with nature.

Adagio is built on the belief that sustainability is not a feature to add, but a pace to design by. The design celebrates nature and draws attention to the healthy ecosystems required for flavours to emerge in small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate. Each bar is precisely sized to fit within a standard mailbox, reducing excess packaging and improving transport efficiency. The three-box format functions as a modular system, allowing the identity to scale through arrangement rather than variation. Paper-based materials and selective foil replace plastic laminates, supporting recyclability while maintaining tactile quality.

Designed to be kept, the packaging extends beyond consumption. When collected, the boxes form an artful display, encouraging continued use and reducing premature waste. Adagio presents packaging as a reflection of time, nature, and care—where sustainability and time are the ultimate luxury—embedded in both its purpose and its form.

SERAPHINA SOL

Internationally recognized, Seraphina Sol is a designer and artist whose work is grounded in the natural world. She observes how landscapes change, how ecosystems interact, and how time shapes both environment and experience. Her practice translates these observations into deliberate and thoughtful projects that reflect the patterns of nature. Her work has been exhibited and commissioned across the globe, reaching audiences across more than 100 languages. Through these projects, she shows how sustainability, care, and attention to natural systems can guide design and art.

There are artists who help us understand the world, and artists who connect us directly to it. Seraphina Sol does both, bridging beauty and responsibility to show how thoughtful design can source and sustain nature.