The world of high end kitchen design can feel a bit awkward and cold compared to the well worn patina on the wooden spoons passed down through your family. It's easy to be standoffish, but when form meets function and beauty as it does in these new pieces from Matali Crasset — well then we're all ears. We're often guilty of saying, "Well if they ever cooked a day in their life, then they wouldn't have made that." Though it sounds snooty, it is true that when aesthetics are applied to kitchen tools, sometimes form comes before function. Although pieces are designed to look amazing sitting in our cupboards and on our counters, they don't really have what it takes to get the job that is required of them done.
So when we saw these goods from Matali Crasset for Alessi, we were pleasantly surprised. Crasset sat down with pastry chef Pierre Hermé to develop these pieces that have it all when it comes to functionality and aesthetic beauty. There's a cake plate, mixing bowl, spatula and detachable whisk set, each designed with loving care.
http://www.thekitchn.com/designer-kitchenware-made-for-106496
So when we saw these goods from Matali Crasset for Alessi, we were pleasantly surprised. Crasset sat down with pastry chef Pierre Hermé to develop these pieces that have it all when it comes to functionality and aesthetic beauty. There's a cake plate, mixing bowl, spatula and detachable whisk set, each designed with loving care.
http://www.thekitchn.com/designer-kitchenware-made-for-106496
Young designer Alex Bradley has developed a prototype for a compact cooker for people living alone that combines a hob, chopping board, utensils and a WiFi-enabled screen so that users can call up recipes from the internet.
Called Single Person Cooker (SPC), the product is designed to encourage people in bedsits and bachelor pads to prepare healthier meals.
Here's some info about SPC from Bradley:
Background of the concept
The following trends were highlighted at the front end of the project. These trends run in parallel encompassing social, demographic, technological and design areas. They can be summarised as the following:
1) The lack of development in the kitchen and kitchen appliance area of the last 30 years.
2) The rise in single person living and the reduced size of living spaces in these environments.
Furthermore predictions that this is set to rise and continue.
3) Peoples ‘on the go lifestyle’
4) The prevalence & promotion of ‘living healthy’ and ‘having a healthy diet’.
5) The development of connectivity and a ‘seamless environment’, encompassing WiFi technology and network systems.
6) Design trends in terms of form, detailing, colour, material and finish.
These areas provided the framework to design within and established the challenge to develop a product responding to and utilising these trends.
The Response; The ‘SPC’ Service System & Appliance
The ‘SPC’ with it’s WiFi connection, modular design and adjoining website. Responds to the eating habits, that are evolving to meet with the pace and structure of daily life, while making information available on producing nutritious healthy meals quickly and efficiently.
It aims to steer consumers away from ready meals and improve their well being as a result, while being an object of focus and discussion in the kitchen.
Taking styling cues from current trends the concept aims to deliver a contemporary take on kitchen appliances and remove those initial semantic values associated with kitchen appliances, to give an air of ‘what is that’?
The Intended user is primarily the single person and or commuter, where time is precious and preparing a meal is more of a chore than an experience to be savoured. Families, with busy schedules could benefit, together with wider ranging demographics.
Product Extension
The ‘SPC’ appliance seamlessly integrates with ‘SPC furniture’ to provide dual living and eating areas (allowing small flat/ studio entertaining). Thus challenging current perceptions of how we eat, live & entertain in our homes.http://www.dezeen.com/2008/03/09/single-person-cooker-by-alex-bradley/
Called Single Person Cooker (SPC), the product is designed to encourage people in bedsits and bachelor pads to prepare healthier meals.
Here's some info about SPC from Bradley:
Background of the concept
The following trends were highlighted at the front end of the project. These trends run in parallel encompassing social, demographic, technological and design areas. They can be summarised as the following:
1) The lack of development in the kitchen and kitchen appliance area of the last 30 years.
2) The rise in single person living and the reduced size of living spaces in these environments.
Furthermore predictions that this is set to rise and continue.
3) Peoples ‘on the go lifestyle’
4) The prevalence & promotion of ‘living healthy’ and ‘having a healthy diet’.
5) The development of connectivity and a ‘seamless environment’, encompassing WiFi technology and network systems.
6) Design trends in terms of form, detailing, colour, material and finish.
These areas provided the framework to design within and established the challenge to develop a product responding to and utilising these trends.
The Response; The ‘SPC’ Service System & Appliance
The ‘SPC’ with it’s WiFi connection, modular design and adjoining website. Responds to the eating habits, that are evolving to meet with the pace and structure of daily life, while making information available on producing nutritious healthy meals quickly and efficiently.
It aims to steer consumers away from ready meals and improve their well being as a result, while being an object of focus and discussion in the kitchen.
Taking styling cues from current trends the concept aims to deliver a contemporary take on kitchen appliances and remove those initial semantic values associated with kitchen appliances, to give an air of ‘what is that’?
The Intended user is primarily the single person and or commuter, where time is precious and preparing a meal is more of a chore than an experience to be savoured. Families, with busy schedules could benefit, together with wider ranging demographics.
Product Extension
The ‘SPC’ appliance seamlessly integrates with ‘SPC furniture’ to provide dual living and eating areas (allowing small flat/ studio entertaining). Thus challenging current perceptions of how we eat, live & entertain in our homes.http://www.dezeen.com/2008/03/09/single-person-cooker-by-alex-bradley/