Techno-craftsmanship to rejuvenate a UNESCO cultural heritage tradition

Abstract

Evolving over 500 years of history, Turkish coffee as known today has a unique character, owing much to its brewing technique, which requires dedicated time and manual skills. Urbanisation and digitalisation in the 21st century have created a pace of life that puts Turkish coffee service in jeopardy, especially in hotels, restaurants and cafes. In the early 2000s, technology designers started challenging assumptions about the irreplaceability of the traditional brewing method and designed a Turkish coffee machine simulating the traditional Turkish coffee brewing technique. This article examines how technology can enhance the revival of a fading tradition. This study further provides the ground to discuss hospitality as a fundamental trait in Turkish coffee culture, suggesting that the Turkish coffee machine contributes to sustaining the culture of hospitality in Türkiye by keeping the standards of a decent cup of Turkish coffee in the commercial domain of hospitality.