Juri Nishi and Sheila Qureshi / RCA Architecture
kitchen tales: redefining luxury for single living
This study explores how changing perceptions of ‘luxury’ can be translated into inspiring and affordable kitchen designs for those living alone in the UK. Over one third of people in Britain currently live by themselves. The single household is a fast-growing, diverse market that is becoming increasingly influential as a spending group. Kitchens are also shrinking, with houses built today up to 44% smaller than before. The twin trends of more single households and smaller homes in the UK are main drivers for this project.
Research began by auditing kitchen designs and mapping social and cultural trends against a simple definition of luxury as a combination of function and desire. Conventional views of the kitchen were interrogated through a ‘kitchen swap’ where people were challenged to cook a familiar meal in an unfamiliar kitchen. Eight individuals living in single households in London were interviewed and filmed whilst in their kitchen and then asked to complete weekly diaries. Users covered a range of age, background, social status, culture and gender.
Four design scenarios for four types of single household emerged from the research. The Precision Kitchen is for the person who likes to be in control, whose kitchen needs to function like clockwork. The Authenticity Kitchen is a free-style space for undiluted cooking enjoyment, a haven for world cuisines where organic ingredients reflect an authentic lifestyle. The Masquerade Kitchen is a theatrical setting that acts as a showpiece for those who are into ‘cooking as performance’. The Flux Kitchen is for the fashion-conscious on a limited budget - a room that can change with the seasons, or create a mood to suit different occasions and guests.
