Alessi pairs up with Valcucine to create a highly adaptable all-in-one kitchen unit designed by Wiel Arets. Rachel Lee-Leong reports.
April 18th, 2012
Tucked away in the basement of the Valcucine showroom at Corso Garibaldi, Milan, LaCucinaAlessi by Valcucine is a sight to behold. A freestanding monolithic Corian unit in Glacier White, the kitchen by Wiel Arets is impressive for its purity of form and highly refined details. More than this, it is a thoughtful response to the way people use their homes and kitchens today. The Dutch architect tells us more:
“The kitchen is, in a lot of new apartments and houses, getting a very prominent position. It should be functional, but it should also have a different position. Maybe you use it in a different way. The question is, ‘How can I make a kitchen that I can use for more than one programme?’
This kitchen is not a traditional kitchen – not a place where you only cook. Here, it is a sculpture in the room. Normally, the kitchen only has one side. You look from the front and that was it. Here, there are four sides. You may stand on one side and store things in the kitchen. On the other side, you can use the storage for the living room, the dining room, maybe even the bedroom. The kitchen is a space for relaxing. It is also a space for communication.
Also, for me, hygiene is very important. So, there are no joints; this kitchen is one smooth surface.
I’m born in Holland – people are very pragmatic, but we also think rooms should be used in free ways. So the kitchen should not be too specific. I have to imagine how someone from Asia or America would react to the product. And I think the idea we have is very adaptable in those countries.”
Valcucine
valcucine.com
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Suitable for applications ranging from schools and retail outlets to computer rooms and X-ray suites, Palettone comes in two varieties and a choice of more than fifty colours.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
With 2000 tea rooms world-wide, the China-chic beverage brand CHAGEE is spearheading the latest tea-drinking with design by STILL YOUNG.
The Albi is a new contemporary modular lounge designed by Norman and Quaine. It is available in many configurations making it suitable for both residential and commercial applications in varied interiors. Possibilities include placing lounges end to end to create a lounge or an ottoman 5400mm long. More typically used as a corner suite sizes […]
With a new Rick Stein Restaurant opening in NSW, the interior team knew the finishes needed to match the chef’s legendary taste.
The retail Design Institute has just announced the inaugural Retail Design award for the best creative use of a retail space. The awards aims to recognise Architects, Retail Designer and Visual Merchandisers who have created outstanding windows displays, or entire stores or food outlets. Entries can come from a non-shopping centre environment and must be […]
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Focusing on facade and green design, this pair of office blocks is designed to meet the most contemporary demands of workplace design.
Swiss home appliance designer and manufacturer V-ZUG’s first Sydney studio is a unified expression of the brand’s boutique, sustainable and design-led identity.