Team:
D. Costa - Prof. F. Zebner (HfG-OF, advisor), S. Baacke (Design Director GAGGENAU);
Germany, 2013 (6 months)
My role and Scope:
UX Research, Brand strategy, Design System, Product design, IoT, UI
Context
The modern kitchen is the result of a compromise between two industries (furniture and electronics) that grew together responding to a lifestyle that is quite different from now. Today people move more often, have less space, and the kitchen is as much a living space as any other. Moreover, my research showed that with age and cooking experience, people not only spend more time in the kitchen, but also want to upgrade their appliances to their skills.
Problem
How is the kitchen system to be rethought in order to respond to the demands of the "living kitchen?"
Solution
Solving this problem, Modul.A envisions Gaggenau as a kitchen planning company. Every appliance is a hub for distribution of water and electricity and have the structures where shelves can be connected, making the bridge with other appliances. The solution is true to Gaggenau’s distinctive product language - solid but sleek. The display and central computer is on the user's pocket, their smartphones, which not only reveal specific functions but also is the IoT central.
Learning / Design Thesis
Mood Board
Modularity + Embedded Technology + Playfulness + Underlying Structure
ID | Sketching and development
ID | Solution
ID | System configurations
UX / UI | Interface and IoT
A.R. technology for detailed settings
The current interface of Gaggenau appliances consists of a module with screen and two selectors (one for the function and the other for the quantification of this function - e.g. baking mode on the left, and temperature on the right. This solution increases the minimalist character of the appliances, by removing its digital interface and putting it in the user's pocket. The smartphone is also the central of the whole internet of things system controlling the whole power and water distribution as well providing the status of all the appliances, besides connecting the user with the Gaggenau community, novelties of the brand, and of course also recipes and cooking techniques.
The knobs have a micro-lasered surface (similar to status light of the mac book) with a back light of LED. When turned off the user sees only the metal surface. This way we could increase the furniture and lifestyle character and increase the high tech feeling of the Gaggenau appliances.
The knobs have a micro-lasered surface (similar to status light of the mac book) with a back light of LED. When turned off the user sees only the metal surface. This way we could increase the furniture and lifestyle character and increase the high tech feeling of the Gaggenau appliances.
