Monoblock Kitchen by Norbert Wangen

German luxury Kitchen Designer Norbert Wangen is known throughout the world for his monoblock kitchen—a modern, modular, monolithic unit that could easily do double duty as furniture.  Wangen's latest design, The k20, will show off its cooking capabilities in a "food lab" staged  in the London showroom of Italian kitchen and bath manufacturer Boffi  during the London Design Festival.  I'll be there to witness the monoblock kitchen at work and its metamorphosis from workspace to sculptural decor piece that could mimic a sideboard or table.

 

The k20 kitchen in Corian by Norbert Wangen, photo courtesy of Boffi

I singled out Wangen's monoblock kitchen for its functional and aesthetic flexibility. The k20 folds up, in and out for cooking then tucks back into place as a portable block that can move from space to space.
According to Boffi, Wangen invented the first monoblock kitchen in response to a client's request to build a kitchen in a very small apartment that lacked the space for it. Wangen conceived a seamless block with a sliding board surface and retractable extractor hood. Over the years, the design has evolved.

Wangen's reductionist approach builds on a previous incarnations, The k12 and k14 kitchen units with extractor hoods (folding ventilation systems) that emerge by themselves, countertops that slide back and forth and seamless surfaces devoid of joints.

 

The k20 kitchen by Norbert Wangen, photo courtesy of Boffi

The k20 offers new finishes and materials in a melamine-coated grey-graphite oak or a white, silk finish. Doors and worktops come in stainless steel or white Corian® with an integrated LED bar light.

I singled out this kitchen to preview in my blog because right now monolithic design is hot in the kitchen. I think Wangen superbly executes this seamless look with his Monoblock kitchen unit devoid of any joints, completely smooth and portable. Check back soon for my one-on-one interview with Norbert Wangen and other global rock stars of design straight from the London Design Festival.

 

The k20 kitchen in Corian by Norbert Wangen, photo courtesy of Boffi