Part of a satellite event for the Venice Biennale, MVRDV has taken the standard modern kitchen and transformed it into a totally transparency design experience. Called the Infinity Kitchen, its crystal clear elements including cupboards, shelves, taps and even utensils are produced by PyraSied and challenge the way we think about materials and the way they are used in daily elements and functions of our life.
Rather than merely hiding things away, the Infinity Kitchen takes a new approach, asking through design questions like ‘How much food do we hide away in our kitchens?’ ‘How much waste does a kitchen generate and of course, ‘Is this kitchen as clean as I think it is?’
This design’s transparency also exposes the inner beauty of kitchens, both its elements of utility from cups to bowls to the fresh produce itself.
The Infinity Kitchen comes on the heels of some other very inspiring transparent projects from MVRDV including the Crystal Houses, a traditional facade in Amsterdam made of glass blocks. Material transparency is indeed a major influence and inspiration in the work of this innovative office. Says MVRD’s Winy Maas ‘ I see this as part of a wider dream, this kitchen. It is part of an environment, if not a city, that is transparent and therefore accessible. Imagine if not only our kitchens were transparent but the walls through to the neighbour and the next neighbour even. This would create infinite perspective in our cities. It would make within our claustrophobic environments possibly a view into the direction of the mountains or the sea.’
In terms of its material use, the Infinity Kitchen is a provocative project indeed. So far, social media responses been strongly divided between ‘I love it’ and ‘I hate it.’ Where do you fall on the spectrum?