Determining spatial characteristics for circular building design: The case of kitchen alterations
Paper in proceeding, 2022

Kitchens are frequently altered leading to unnecessary material flows. End-users’ wishes to customise their kitchen based on their changing priorities have been recognised as one cause for frequent alterations. Complementing previous research investigating kitchen alterations, this paper focuses on the spatial characteristics of the room. Spatial characteristics have been identified as determining factors for developing circular solutions for kitchen design
which could reduce the extent and impact of alterations. Eleven households in Swedish villas, apartments, and terrace houses have been interviewed about their kitchen alterations to answer the research questions: What spatial alterations do they implement? and How could the spatial design of kitchens be formulated to support a circular built environment?. The outcome of the alterations has been documented through floorplan drawings and photographs. Based on the findings exemplifying end-users’ alterations, circular design strategies are recommended for the spatial design of the kitchen. These strategies have the potential of slowing the loops by enabling end-users to reshape their kitchen without extensive alterations and decreasing resource use and waste production. In conclusion, this paper urges professionals in the kitchen industry to use the formulated circular design strategies to create a building stock that is part of a circular economy.

Author

Anita Ollár

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Architectural theory and methods

Paula Femenias

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Building Design

Kaj Granath

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Building Design

Sofie Hagejärd

Chalmers, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Architectural theory and methods

IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

17551307 (ISSN) 17551315 (eISSN)

Vol. 1085 012065

SBE22Delft - Innovations for the Urban Energy Transition: Preparing for the European Renovation Wave
Delft, Netherlands,

The VGR circular kitchen demonstrator (CIK)

Region Västra Götaland (MN 2021-00049), 2021-06-01 -- 2023-12-31.

HSB Living Lab, 2022-01-01 -- 2022-12-31.

The circular kitchen 2.0 from prototyp to implementation

Region Västra Götaland, 2022-06-01 -- 2023-12-31.

Formas (2021-02454), 2021-12-01 -- 2023-11-30.

Subject Categories

Architectural Engineering

Architecture

DOI

10.1088/1755-1315/1085/1/012065

More information

Latest update

11/4/2022