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A fantastic kitchen design competition, under the theme ‘kitchen is the heart of the home’, caught my attention recently. 2980 designers, from 102 different countries submitted design entries.

The awards were presented by IMM Cologne and designboom and here are the winners:

AMBIENT CATEGORY
Name of design : Round cupboard assembling that can be rotated and lifted
design by : cheng he + liu guang kui + zhou dong from china

designer’s own words:
(1). Creating the new concept of happy kitchen: Sharing the joy with relatives and friends face-to-face. (2). Cupboard adopts double-deck rotator structure, can rotate 180°respectively, the three major work center of washing, mixing and cooking can rotate in the front of the operator, let “zero” distance in each workflow; And can lift in certain distance in order to be suitable for the different operator.

 (3). Flume has two kinds of outlets: The parallel water outlets of induction type lie on both sides of flume; The holding type faucets with metal hose lie in the middle of two flumes, that can be suitable for operating under various environments. (4).Abandon the board type, slide rail and hinge of the traditional cupboard completely. This cupboard regards the structure frame of aluminium alloy and the combination of stainless steel pipe as the integer structure. Adopt level bearing, hydraulic pressure system, shutting system to realize lifting of cupboard and wall cupboard.

(5). Integrative structures with operational table-board, flume and kitchen, cupboard distribute icebox, disinfector and oven symmetrically, other borders are closets. (6). Lower cupboard is drawing structure, can pull out wholly while using, and make the operation simplify. Hang the kitchen ventilator under the top cupboard with function of illumination.

DETAIL CATEGORY
name of design : black block
design by : alessandra ciampalini + antonio barbieri from italy

designer’s own words:
The domestic rituals of the home are today different from the past. Nowadays we often dine away from home, quickly, in the brief respites of our hectic days. However, the real value of preparing a meal, of “breaking bread” at home, is not lost to us – it becomes a moment of conviviality & fun. It is in this spirit that we have conceived the kitchen; not as a traditional and static kitchen, but as an object which presents itself as something new, a sculpture on the wall, a block without a reference to its proper function. An object that moves away from the static and becomes alive and dynamic; an object that opens up from a closed position to become functional & efficient, capable of making the ritual of preparing a meal collaborative & fun.

The design is composed of a base as a block suspended 40 cm, containing all the fixed elements (i.e. stovetop, wash basin, dishwasher, drawers, etc.). The cabinets are cantilevered elements which can be moved up or down, attached to vertical guides. As such, this kitchen “block” can be opened up; it becomes an object lending itself to active participation and transformation in a newly rediscovered domestic ritual. Insofar as the cabinets have the same depth of the fixed base, unlike traditional kitchens where they are narrower, these cabinets can be raised further up so as to avoid hitting one’s head while preparing & cooking food. The smaller block contains the remaining elements of a functioning kitchen – refrigerator-freezer, stove, and more drawers. This element too can be closed by a moveable panel when not in use, thus hiding the various appliances, and transforming itself into a clean, solid block. In line with this same spirit of novel design, and to maintain clean lines throughout, we wanted to avoid any obvious protruding handles on these blocks. As such, we’ve conceived a new “handle” – a single handle to move all panels & cabinets and to open all drawers: an industrial suction-cup, normally used to move & install sheets of glass. It is attached & unattached with ease and facility with the use of a single hand. The “suction-cup-cum-handle” thus becomes the only colorful element in this otherwise black block.

It is an economical solution, and, at the same time, the only irreverent element in the composition, thus lightening up this designed kitchen. The traditional concept of the kitchen is thus taken apart and re-construed. It becomes a sculptural object, without handles, in which the cabinets and panels made in corian can be variously moved & repositioned, continuously transformed in a fixed space.

ALSO IN THE DETAIL CATEGORY
name of design : lift
design by : michel cornu + jean-pierre schoch + mattia brianza + andrea guarisco from switzerland

designer’s own words:
LIFT is a new kitchen concept that fulfils our days needs for modular and dynamic systems. Lately we’re experiencing how space is becoming important. to us, apartments and houses become smaller therefore we need to design products able to offer a lot and at the same time be compact.

Our design features different sliding (up and down) modules containing all the necessary tools a kitchen must have. While your not working or cooking you can close the sliding units together and create different kinds of sideboards.

LIFT can be well positioned in a one bedroom apartment, in a studio, in a loft or in a open space kitchen / living room area. Our kitchen concepts is up to date with peoples new concept of living.