Re-Rethinking Kitchen:
Second Generation open Kitchen
Year: 2026-2027
Supervision: Prof. Gerrit Babtist, Klea Schlimm M.A.
Focus: repairabilty | equality | system | universality
Designers: David Leucht, Leopold Slenczka
An iteration of the original open source kitchen: built to last, built to be distributed, built to help with kitchen supply in individually difficult situations and times.
Kitchen’s still dead. And this is what we’re trying to do about it.
Contemporary kitchen design is still intended for the few. Show kitchens are becoming standard, marble counters are as important as new rims on a sports car.
Design work flows into expensive kitchens, while research and design only work for one class. The ‘kitchen’ is degenerating from a place of life to a place of representation and exclusion.
… is what we said last time. And this is still true. What we are actually trying to do against it, is displayed here.
Collaboration with Josef Bindrum und Sohn GmbH to develop a kitchen system that works on demand and tries to solves some of the issues of contemporary kitchen design.
The System
The furniture system (the kitchen) can be shipped using a normal euro palette standing up. One of the systems alone can already be sufficiently used as a fully functional kitchen. More of the same modules can easily be used for bigger kitchens in different contexts.
However, why the system makes economic sense is grounded in its properties, which enable a rental system. This rental system (left) could be targeting individuals in need of a kitchen. This side could then potentially also finance a non-profit system targeting charities and people in need of a kitchen to get started (again).
The Furniture
The System allows for free adaptation: left a vertical module, below a combination.
Dimensions provide for it’s great ergonomic abilities and the option to ship it using established services.
AI-generated illustration, based on self-made photos and renderings. Generated Using Gemini NanoBanana and Adobe Firefly.
Potentially, this allows for the use in public kitchens, shared living projects, charities, and many more.
The robust construction from metal and coated wood provides durability and allows for individualisation.
Testing
Diana, Jakob and Vivien were nice enough to help us with documentation and testing. They cooked lunch and dinner for us using our kitchen while we were allowed to document it all! Thank you:)
This helped us to pin-point some of the issues we then tackled and fixed for an exhibition and potentially coming ones!
Exhibition
The new and the old system were exhibited at the summer party of the company that is paying for all this: Thank you to Family Bindrum!