A needs program precedes every project. In certain typologies, specific activities are inherently linked to them. A meeting room in a corporate office, a collection in a museum, and bedrooms in a residence: the latter has a relatively well-defined basic needs program: bedrooms, living room, bathrooms, and kitchen. The size and arrangement of these elements in the space depend on various factors, but a house typically includes some combination of these essential components.
In the case of kitchens, they have not always been integrated into homes. Despite being necessary for food preparation, the kitchen’s history reflects a fluctuation between distancing and bringing together the acts of cooking and dining. Currently, compact spaces or the privileges of a specific social group emphasize integrating the kitchen with the social areas of residences. However, many properties still adhere to more conventional layouts that isolate the kitchen from other spaces.
Even though it is one of the reflections of our legacy of slavery and segregation, which perpetuates the idea that food preparation is less noble than the meal itself, a "closed" kitchen is not inherently negative. Architecture should cater to the needs of its occupants, implying that the residents' lifestyle influences the use of space and the integration or separation of the kitchen.
Whether due to a preference for keeping odors, noise, or splatters away from other spaces or a construction situation indicating that a separated kitchen is an optimal solution, this doesn't imply that it should be disregarded or considered inferior. Even if not immediately visible, it deserves the same attention as a socially designated space – the name suggests a hierarchy that diminishes its importance. In reality, the kitchen is a spatial element like any other and demands the same (or even more) ergonomic care, which involves appropriate heights, generous circulation space, and elements that cater to the needs of its occupants.
The kitchen can be enclosed, but it is by no means less important, as illustrated by the following examples:
Apartamento no Paulicéia / Vereda Arquitetos
“The kitchen area was expanded by demolishing a utility room and integrating it into the laundry, which increased its natural lighting and resulted in a unified space sharing the same countertop for both purposes.”
Apiacás House Renovation / entre escalas
“The path between the living room and kitchen, with a rounded volume and the internal garden, configures the "space between", and proposes continuity and transition between the living room, kitchen, and patio. The kitchen also contemplates new granite countertops and cabinetry, keeping the original ceramic floor of the house. ”
Copan Apartment / Vereda Arquitetos
“For the kitchen and bathroom, a bluish terrazzo was applied to the floor and walls, which communicates with the vibrant colors of the living room/bedroom closet.”
Apartamento Saint Honoré / Memola Estúdio + Vitor Penha
“Large sections of masonry were demolished in the private corridor and between the kitchen and the living room, replaced by a new half-height movable wooden and glass framework. This allows for several options, from complete integration to partial separation and isolation of the spaces.”
House on the City Walls / PAr Plataforma de ARquitectura + Rita Alves M arch
“All rooms received a new role. A kitchen inhabited a generous room, with cabinets that add depth to the wall and counters that recess, in a succession of arches and niches.”
Minho House / Meireles Pavan Arquitetura
“The changes made to the distribution were the expansion of the kitchen, the creation of a cozy and intimate living room, a work area for customers, and on the upper floor the integration of service rooms for the expansion of the master bedroom.”
Piauí Apartment / SuperLimão
“Respecting the existing architecture and original elements of the building, built in the 70s, the Superlimão project eliminated much of the original compartmentalization of the spaces, opening up space for natural light to pass through, as well as reusing the ventilation grilles to build a new system for the existing ducted air conditioning. The wooden floorboards were restored, the beams and pipes were exposed, and the travertine marble was reused to create the effect of expanded terrazzo on the floor. In the kitchen, the stainless steel island was maintained, with a stone complement.”
A House between a Museum and a Kitchen / Jesús Aparicio Guisado
“In short, this renovation is an apartment which is tightened by two opposite main rooms: a living room with a view, in front of the museum, and a bright kitchen which takes profit of an existent skylight and pre-existent high hollows.”
Apartamento Akyma / Estúdio BRA Arquitetura
“The kitchen and dining area form a single space, separated from the rest by a carpentry door. The materials used in these spaces include terrazzo flooring, a synthetic countertop, tauarí wood cabinetry, and green Formica.”
Apartamento ER / Pascali Semerdjian Arquitetura
“They had only one requirement: they wanted certified materials and companies (environmentally and socially). This demand guided our choices of materials and suppliers. We aimed for a small but comprehensive selection of elements that would bring unity and harmony to all spaces. We specified wooden boards for the entire floor of the social area, except for the lowered living room where we used dark Brazilian basalt to create contrast between different levels. We also developed a very thin concrete panel for the walls of the social areas. For the wooden cabinets in the bedrooms and kitchen, we chose Freijó, a certified Brazilian wood.”
Apartamento Bloco A / Alan Chu
“The lattice was chosen as the enclosure for the kitchen to enhance air circulation, play with light effects, accentuate the graphic presence of structural elements, and capture the dynamic life in the house through the asymmetry of its openings.”
Apartamento Eduardo e Clarissa / INÁ Arquitetura
“We also created a white lacquered slatted wood panel in the living room, concealing the doors that lead to the powder room, elevator, and kitchen. The kitchen was designed with metalwork, featuring neutral colors like gray, green, and white. Within it, we incorporated niches to compartmentalize kitchen utensils and widen the passage.”
Casa da Vila / Vereda Arquitetos
“Connecting the two sections of the residence is an internal courtyard, expanded during the renovation to house a contemplative garden. The kitchen opens towards this space, creating a pleasant workspace with abundant natural light, overlooking both parts of the house.”
Apartamento Rodésia / Memola Estúdio + Vitor Penha
“The kitchen was the highlight of the project. It received a complete alteration with the removal of the wall accessing the dining room and service area, and the implementation of a large frame to connect them. The choice of flooring was one of the most important points to make the environment even more elegant and charming since the office prioritizes the blend of industrial with artisanal, from raw to delicate.”
Aurora Apartment / CoDA Arquitetura
“The resolution for the latter request was based on the position of two parallel beams that stretch themselves across the apartment. Below one of those beams, a wooden panel with two built-in sliding doors was installed, facing the kitchen and hallway from one side and the living room from the other. While one door opens the kitchen to the rest of the social space, the other connects the bedrooms to the service area. To incorporate the kitchen into the rest of the social settings, enabling it to welcome natural light; to plan an overall space that accommodates well family and friends; and to create a continuous flow from the bedrooms to the laundry room and kitchen, without the need to enter the living area.”
