Two young design teams wins competition to develop functional kitchens for elderly
Rethinking the idea of kitchens for elderly people above 65, was the headline when five design teams met and were matched with five business teams from Poland, the Nordic and Baltic countries in an intensive design and innovation camp in Copenhagen from 1st to 5th July.
One of the winning teams: The ”Living Kitchen” team, who won the pirze for the best accomplishment potential.
The five teams were assessed by a wide complex jury based on the criteria most innovative and highest realization potential. “The Good Life Kitchen” won for original thinking, among other things implemented technology of the future in the form of a “helping hand” that can carry up to 80 kilos and wall-mounted automated shelves. “Living Kitchen” won the best accomplishment potential. “Living Kitchen” is based on the idea of the kitchen allows and makes it easier for older people to cook and thrive in the kitchen as the home’s main room.
Design Camp is part of the joint Nordic-Baltic project StarDust, and total more than 85 design students, business people and design, home and lifestyle experts from Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
A success for all three parts
“The Design camp has been a success,” said Director Betina Simonsen from Innovation Network Lifestyle Interior & Clothing in charge of the camp. She continues: “The aim of the camp was to develop a set of concepts and prototypes of sustainable and multifunctional kitchens for the 65 + segment. We are dealing with an area that can contribute to Danish exports – an unexplored market. The manufacturers have particularly been helped to get started, and they’ve got new knowledge about the kitchen and its users – 65 + segment. Mainly because the task has been entrusted to the young designers. ”
Henrik Knudsen, sales manager and partner of the Danish company CompoTeck, who is supplier to the woodworking and furniture industry and one of the companies on the winning team “Living Kitchen”, says: “I´m inspired by the design camp and meeting with the young design students. I have gained more insight into the design process. It´s new to me, that designers work so analytically at the beginning of the process, it is positive. It was interesting to have the opportunity to engage in a synergy with them and see the emergence of new concepts and products. ”
Henrik Knudsen adds, that he finds it troubling that so few large Danish kitchen companies have seen the potential of a design camp like this. During the camp, he has got a unique opportunity to establish a number of contacts with representatives from Poland, the Nordic and Baltic countries, which he could not get elsewhere.
Kasper Schwartz of 26 years, graduate student in Industrial Design and member of the winning team of “Living Kitchen” says:
“We think, our project has potential, but there is a comprehensive product development ahead of us. Particularly with regard to the technical aspects of the project, which also means involvement of various companies and suppliers, and especially the users,” Kasper says.
The design students from the seven countries have all expressed the view, that the camp has been a unique opportunity to work with “real” companies and “real” products, that have the potential to get into production. And so has the understanding of countries’ different perceptions of aesthetics and design where useful and instructive discussions the students and between companies.
See the pictures from the Design Camp
For more information contact: Betina Simonsen, Director, Innovation Network Lifestyle – Interior & Clothing – phone 29 36 00 90 or email Betina@innonetlifestyle.com
Photos: can be obtained from Karin Bendixen 30 23 66 55 k.bendixen @ bexcom.dk
