The Multifunctional Kitchen for All
Lone Storgaard, Ph.D., Industrial Designer - Universal Design, Design Director, Design Concern, Denmark
Todays Technology: Awareness and Perspectives
The emergence of information technology and the computer has brought about many changes to the industrialized world. Even though these changes have revolutionized everyday life for mankind, not all of the repercussions are always apparent on a day to day basis. With the march of technology we have, almost without notice, become accustomed to thinking in new ways. In both the workplace and at home we have access to computers which not only replace calculators and typewriters but also function as drawing machines, entertainment systems - and possibly most important: They can function as communication and control devices and thus be very helpful in the domestic environment.
Truly the technology has opened up for new perspectives and new possibilities. Why not integrate new technology into universal kitchen design which can function for all?
The Dissertation: The Multifunctional Kitchen
In the Ph.D. dissertation "The Multifunctional Kitchen - An inquiry into and an experiment with special user needs" architect and industrial designer Lone Kobberholm Storgaard, shows how the concept of multi-functionality, in practice, can be integrated into industrially manufactured kitchen.
The inspiration to the Ph.D. dissertation: "The Multifunctional Kitchen" comes from, amongst others, United Nation's "The Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities," and the Danish Parliament's resolution from April 1993 concerning equal opportunity and equal treatment of disabled and other citizens. The dissertation demonstrates the theory that the consequences of a reduced functionality or a handicap can be minimized if proper consideration is taken for people with both temporary as well as permanent loss of functionality during the planning process of their physical surroundings.
A Prototype Kitchen based on Research
As background for the dissertation, research (interviews and video recordings) was done on how users with various types and degrees of reduced functionality, function in their kitchen for daily living. Based on the research the dissertation also contains development attempts - a prototype kitchen - with concrete examples of how wheelchair users can be self-suf?cient in their own homes. Special effort was made to develop kitchen components for speci?c user needs, without compromising the kitchen's aesthetic qualities as well as taking consideration for non-disabled users. |
Smarthome Technology Integrated in the Prototype
Extensive use of information technology or so-called Smart Home technology was used in the prototype kitchen. The kitchen was installed in an apartment in Aarhus, Denmark that is inhabited by a wheelchair user. During research for the dissertation, several people, with different types of reduced functionality, participated in user evaluations using this kitchen. The study was done in close cooperation with the Danish Center for Accessibility.
These practical experiments support the theory that industrially manufactured products that are flexible can fulfill both general and speci?c user needs - and thus take into consideration the world requirements from users with different abilities. This multifunctionality can best be achieved if the user's needs are taken into consideration from the beginning of the product development process.
The Ultimate Design Concept
Furthermore data from testing the prototype kitchen was used in creating the ultimate multifunctional kitchen:
As a supplement to the dissertation "The Multifunctional Kitchen - An inquiry into and an experiment with special user needs" a CD-Rom that illustrates every-day problem areas in the domestic kitchen has been made.
Design concept scenarios of kitchen components and layouts, in the form of drawings and animations, help to enhance the kitchen's functionality for all life-conditions no matter how a person's health and physique develops: A student in a small studio apartment, a single-family house and even elderly can use these kitchen components.
Thanks to built-in ?exibility the kitchen can adapt to the user's present as well as future needs. These design concepts represent suggestions for multi-functional kitchen components that can be used by young as well as old and can make life easier for a large majority of the population. The future holds great potential in making the domestic kitchen function for all.
The dissertation and not at least the ideas of the conceptual Multifunctional Kitchen will stimulate the discussion at the conference that design for all can be both functional and aestehic at the same time.
This project received the research prize from the Disabled Peoples Foundation, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Scenarios: The Multifunctional Kitchen for All
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