With health and government officials around the world were urging us to stay home as much as possible in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us have rediscovered the time and the pleasure of the kitchen that reconfirmed itself, triumphant, the fulcrum of domestic life. If we assume that the idea of home and built space in general is a cultural artefact, it follows that its limits are flexible and go beyond its physicality. The home, and its kitchen, can be interpreted as a diffused entity: not only as a place dedicated to the preparation of food but as the actions of cooking in a given environment. Given that the kitchen environment will see its centrality reconfirmed in the post-Covid-19 era, from workspaces that lend themselves to conviviality to homes increasingly open and free from clear separations, the challenge for the architect becomes to condense the practical functions of the kitchen into a space in which the kitchen itself has to be incorporated without having clear confines. With the main functions resolved, the kitchen has to be able to interpret the lifestyles, actions and needs of people and become a vehicle for conveying an identity. So as not to lose the new good habits acquired in recent weeks, here are some tips from the Domus editorial staff to rediscover the pleasure of being in the kitchen.
A return to the kitchen during lockdown
Rediscovered while we had to stay at home, it looks like the focus will still be on the kitchen also during the post Covid-19 era. Here are some tips so as not to lose those new good habits.
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- Giulia Guzzini
- 19 May 2020
The concept of Combine by Piero Lissoni is based on a vision of a cross between a compact kitchen and an island: functional monoblocs, worktops made from large sheets of vitroceramic with integrated induction hob and pull-out tables to create fixed or extendable dining areas according to the number of diners.
In an apartment in the centre of Stockholm, the studio Servabote decided to install an Ego kitchen, that with its rounded corners brings a sophisticated yet decisive feel to the environment. In this case the kitchen consists of a single block in stainless steel that supports the tops integrated directly into the module.
A stainless steel block that integrates the functions of washing, cooking and food preparation, LC310 is part of the Liberi in Cucina series, kitchen units that can be installed as desired and configured according to the needs of the end user. Designed by Nico Moretto, the modules can be freely positioned and placed alongside one another, they can be aligned with the wall, positioned opposite one another in space or used as islands. The version shown here has a width of 310 cm and features a stainless steel top with incorporated a five-burner hob, a basin welded to the top and stainless steel mixer tap.
This model takes inspiration from kitchens without handles, where a moulding runs along bases and tall units to create a tapered cut, inside of which is inserted the characteristic recessed handle. Accessorised tops in steel can be cantilevered to create small work islands or integrated into the worktop.
Designed by García Cumini, the Intarsio system enables continuous solutions to be created between the kitchen and the living room. Intarsio breaks up the geometry of the door fronts thanks to a treatment of the wood grain. An extensive range of wood finishes available – in the photo an elegant Mediterranean Oak.
The Delinea kitchen by Scavolini enables numerous compositional possibilities – island, corner or peninsula – with bases 80 cm high with a plinth of 7 cm. The design interprets the handle- free kitchen with a special detail on the door: the opening is created by a recessed aluminium profile cut at 40° to facilitate grip.
New for 2020, the K-Table sits half-way between a worktop and a kitchen table, reaffirming the functional centrality of the table element in our everyday domestic life. The key feature of the design is the drawer underneath the top that can be used for storing recipe books, objects and small domestic appliances.
Carlo Presotto and Andrea Bassanello’s language of design and aesthetics expressively characterises the refined design of the Blade model: large doors without plinths and handles, proposed in the living room, that also appear in the kitchen and integrate perfectly with the essential and clean lines of Frame.
The Milano kitchen reworks the frame door of classical ancestry to present a version that expresses a clean-cut and elegant style that declares its Italian roots. As well as being a stylistic element, the frame has a functional value as it hides the handle, obtained by cutting into the upper crosspiece of the door.