Overview
The Kesseböhmer AGENTline UrbanStyle builds on the success of the existing AGENTline kitchen organization products to help to organize frequently used kitchen items and keep benchtops tidy. The design was realised in two parts: the diningAGENT organizes pots, dishes and utensils in two pull-out drawers, while the cookingAGENT holds commonly used cooking ingredients like sauces and spices in a modular pull-out pantry.
Research process
To make genuine improvements to the AGENTline products, we conducted home visits, user interviews, supplier visit, and design workshops with stakeholders. These findings revealed that most kitchen organisation systems are designed for the European and North American markets, and do not cater to the needs of Chinese kitchens.
Design process
One of the biggest challenges of the design was to optimize storage efficiency in a fixed footprint. We came up with many concepts for subdividing the storage into compartments to figure out the best balance between modularity and space efficiency.
At least a dozen functional prototypes of individual parts and the complete assembly were produced to make sure the design concept was feasible and easy to use.
Design features
Informed by our research and prototyping, the storage solution addresses many unique needs of the Chinese market. As dishes are frequently put away wet and the humid environment slows drying, the trays and containers had to be removable, easy to clean and wooden chopsticks stored upright.
We also designed in space to accommodate items unique to Chinese kitchens such as larger cleavers, vinegar plates, and a novel system of flexible straps that simplifies organizing different sized vinegar bottles and pantry items.
