Of all the rooms in our homes the kitchen is the center of all that we do. In the coming decade as our environments and habits change, the kitchen as we know it today will evolve drastically. Can you imagine a world where you don’t need a refrigerator and your kitchen table has the ability to charge your cell phone and reheat your leftovers? IKEA’S concept Kitchen 2025 is a student project based upon a list of assumptions about the world ten years from now, and they envisioned all of this: a kitchen that worked smarter, but appeared effortless.
Some of the key concepts worthy of noting are:
- A composting system will be built into this kitchen that will conserve water and waste. For instance, it will use leftover water for the dishwasher or to feed indoor plants. As we become more conscious of the environmental impact of household waste, we’ll recycle and reuse far more. Cities will encourage that too, charging residents for non-recyclable rubbish by the kilogram.This waste and composting system helps us live more sustainably by making us more aware of what we’re throwing away, and helping our municipalities dispose of that waste more efficiently. Organic waste washed from the sink into the composting system is blended, the water extracted, and it’s then compressed into a dry, odourless puck. The waste water doesn’t flush away: it contains nutrients that can be safely used to feed our indoor plants.
- The lack of a refrigerator, which is an essential in all kitchens today, was left out of the design and replaced with technology that would conserve energy and reduce food waste. Concept Kitchen envisioned a world where it is not a necessary appliance due to products being available on demand and delivery drones becoming the norm. This means less food in our homes, but also means that our food is fresher. Using naturally insular materials like ceramics will keep foods cool and will also combat the energy inefficiency of standalone refrigerators and the problem of having our food hidden. The pantry features wooden shelves that contain hidden sensors and smart induction cooling technology. Meanwhile terracotta storage boxes are naturally cool, perfect for foods such as garlic, potatoes and carrots. Insets made of porcelain, wood or slate keep food fresher for longer, and can be detached to use as tableware.The magnetic, stainless steel alloy base is inductively cooled by the shelves. But if the container is placed on the kitchen table surface, the induction system switches to heating.
- Water’s set to become more precious in the next ten years, so we’ll need to use it more responsibly. A ‘Mindful design’ solution makes us conscious of our everyday decisions, and helps us make better-informed choices about how we use water. Here’s how we may treat water in ten years…Our sink has two plug holes: pivot one way for ‘grey’ water that be reused for washing up and watering plants, tipping to the right…… sends badly contaminated water (black water) through to the sewerage pipes for treatment.
- The kitchen table that was featured in the concept kitchen had the ability to perform a multitude of different activities. It has the ability to reheat food, measure baking ingredients and suggest recipes by “reading” the ingredients placed on its top. It also will be able to charge your cell phone and interact with children’s artwork.
