Japanese puzzle. Kitchen design for the Kvartyrny voprosTV project

Architects: Aleksei Goriainov, Mikhail Krymov

Design: 2014

 

Details on the portal peredelka.tv

Full release on NTV TV channel 

 

IDEA

Heroes of the TV project are fond of of martial arts and lead a healthy lifestyle. This fact formed the basis of the concept as martial arts - not just a sport but a certain philosophy. We didn’t want to quote directly any motifs and elements of eastern culture but to create a space that lives by its own laws, radically different from the common European clichés.

East and more of Japanese aesthetics guessed in geometric stringency, clarity of lines, in unusual, sometimes incomprehensible at first sight solutions. Many elements of the interior are transformable, sliding- that reminds Japanese puzzles.

At the same time interior is very high-tech and rich with complex solutions, which is typical for modern Japan. Especially cause kitchen is most filled with technology and equipment area.

Key interior solutions are as follows. Refined white walls with geometric techno pattern panels. Walls create a background with white floor - a symbol of purity and high technology.

Ceiling is clean, smooth and white, glowing from within. Against this background there are two dark strict cubic volumes: kitchen table and techno block. They have complicated convertible structure that resembles Japanese puzzles and symbolizes not always clear eastern way of thinking. Also, these objects are saturated with different equipment and technologies. In the space above two cubes there is shiny steel "blade" for exhaust duct and the air cleaner. It permeates the entire length of the room. To create a meditative environment during teas you can use projector that displays a large image on one of the walls and ceiling color local lighting.

 

SOLUTIONS

In developing the concept we considered and used the following characteristics of the premises:

1. The kitchen is large, accurate rectangular shape.

2. There is an exit to the balcony.

3. The water riser near the entrance is awkwardly-placed.

4. Along the top of the wall from the entrance trehe is not very beautiful reinforced concrete beam.

5. Door to the kitchen is located very close to the corner.

 

All of these factors significantly influenced on the decisions that were taken.

Kitchen for owners of the apartment is the traditional place of communication, including meetings with friends. It was organized very uncomfortable, as the table stood in front of the door on the walkway to the balcony and was pinned to the wall. Push it away from the wall was impossible cause it would interfere even more. It is not allowed to create a full place for socializing.

The kitchen is large and empty, which is also very uncomfortable and do not create an atmosphere for sit with pleasure and chat. Fridge stood in middle of the kitchen, which is not elegant solution. At the same time another place for it was hard to find. Place of feeding the dog was located near the entrance, which is not very convenient.

 

We solved the following main objectives:

1. Creating the most comfortable place to socialize.

2. Creating a large number of shelves for storing utensils.

3. Comfortable location of refrigerator and equipment.

4. Hiding the aforementioned disadvantages of premises: water riser, ceiling beam.

 

The main element of the kitchen - a place to socialize. The ideal shape for this - a square with a large table in the center. Weэму placed the communicate area in the only right place - at the window, with no obstructed passage to the balcony. So we used all distant part of the kitchen, which allowed us to put a large square table.

 

TABLE

We realized that usual dining table did’t fit for this kitchen. It must be the epicenter of events, not just a surface for plates. It should carry more features than just a table.

The center of table should accommodate several free meals for all, as well as kettle, vase with flowers and anything else. So we made a square table with a common central part. There we put teppan to fry something or heating. When it’s not using it’s closed by wooden lattice for tea ceremony, it is possible to put something on top of it.

The rest of the table also consists of squares, some of which is shifted as the details of the Japanese puzzles, further increasing the surface and creating cozy places for two.

Table stands on a wooden leg-column. This leg has a built-driven actuator, allowing the table to rise to the level of the peninsula to be used for cooking, or stoop to the level of 40 cm from the floor for tea ceremonies. There is a third standard position at a height of 75 cm from the floor.

 

COOKING ZONE

The rest part of the room (closer to the entrance) is the technological area. The main problem is placing of refrigerator. There is only one place where it can be put - a niche behind the water riser. In tat case refrigerator does not disturb anyone and do not becomes a central design element.

Moreover, all the kitchen equipment and cooking area placed in a large square peninsula adjacent to the water riser. The result is one large surface area of ​​about 1.2 x 1.2 m.

Under peninsula there is stainless steel shelf for drying the dishes. Part of countertops can be moved to another area to increase the cooking zone and to connect the peninsula with a table, when it is in the raised position.

 

COOKER HOOD

There are two cooker hoods above the kitchen stove and teppan. We wanted to hide them, to turn into a perfect expressive element that extends along the entire kitchen under the ceiling. It’s a box made of perforated stainless steel in areas above the stove and teppan. It has a swift, sharp shape that evokes whether with Japanese knives, or with Japanese fighting swords.

 

DRESSER

Large kitchen should allow storing many items. Peninsula mainly busy by integrated appliances and allows you to store a large number of items, such as pots. Thus most of the utensils are very compact objects, which are always difficult to extract from the large, deep cupboards, cluttered with all sorts of things.

To store most items fits rather shallow cupboard with convenient access. Such cupboard has become an ideal solution for this kitchen, as there is a whole wall with exposed beam, which should be hidden.

Cupboards depth is about 25 cm which is enough for cups, glasses, plates, bottles and other items. The entire wall is composed of horizontal shelves, closed by sliding panels that facilitates access and saves space in front of it. These panels have white glossy surface, so you can paint or make superscription using markers for flip charts. Panels are arranged in two layers, one atop the other, thereby creating an interesting structure of the wall.

 

CEILING

The ceiling is made of translucent stretched canvas. Behind blade ceiling there are LED lights that allow you to create a uniform luminous field and do not require replacement for at least 10 years.

On the box of cooker hood there are RGB-LEDs to illuminate the ceiling in the central zone. It can change color according to the owners under their mood.

 

FLOOR

Floor is made of white porcelain stoneware. Square area under the table the size of a table made ​​of a table material.

 

WALLS

Wall in the cooking area is framed by glossy white panels, built-in refrigerator and cupboard is decorated by these panels too.

Large wall opposite the integrated wall cupboard also trimmed with white panels, but opaque to display an image.

 

PROJECTOR

To make the kitchen not just a place to have a meal but a place for comfortable pastime and meetings with friends there is a projector located on the ceiling whict project large image on the wall. You can turn on BBC movies, with only beautiful nature photography to create a meditative background for recreation and drinking tea. You can watch a movie or even TV programs.

 

DOOR

We would like kitchen to become a decoration of all apartment, to its interior was always seen and there was no opaque barrier that hides what's inside. Therefore we chose a door made completely of transparent glass with the possibility to make it opaque, if desired.

Herewith we wanted to make a glass wall from floor to ceiling. However, to extend the pass to the ceiling was not possible. Therefore, to create a feeling of a large glass we have moved the glass door to the kitchen to 25-30 cm, not touching existing embrasure, and made to-ceiling glazing.

The space between the glass door and the existing wall with the embrasure we used to organize the shelves with lighting.