Pratt Institute industrial design students teamed up with Caesarstone, developer and manufacturer of quartz surfaces, to bring a “Future Kitchen” to life in Manhattan at WantedDesign 2017 under the direction of Marc Thorpe, Pratt visiting assistant professor of industrial design and New York City-based architect and designer.
Pratt students were asked to understand how nature and technology can work together to create a self-sustaining kitchen in 2050 through aquaponics, hydroponics, 3D printing, water filtration, indoor farming, composting, smart technology, robotic farming and food storage. They toured Caesarstone’s factory in Richmond Hill, GA and worked on developing their own future kitchen with a quartz hearth as the focal point. The fire pit is surrounded by layered surface styles featuring a dishwasher, food prep area, sink, storage and waste compartment. A dining table is attached.
“At Caesarstone, we have always been a huge supporter of the design and architecture communities, and especially of the education of these groups,” says Nick Harris of Caesarstone US.
Also at WantedDesign, Domino Magazine hosted a breakfast and panel discussion featuring Thorpe; former IDSA International Design Conference Education Symposium speaker Constanin Boym, Pratt ID chair; furniture and lighting designer Danielle Trofe; and Pratt students.