**History and Evolution of Kitchens:**
– Early medieval European longhouses had kitchens between the entrance and fireplace.
– Wealthy homes often had multiple kitchens divided by food type.
– Kitchens were sometimes separate from the main hall due to smoke and fire risks.
– Few medieval kitchens remain due to their temporary nature.
– Colonial America saw kitchens built as separate rooms behind main living areas.
– The Frankfurt Kitchen by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky in 1926 optimized kitchen efficiency.
– Designed for social housing, it aimed to lower building costs.
– Detailed time-motion studies and tenant interviews informed the design.
– Schütte-Lihotzky’s kitchen was installed in 10,000 Frankfurt apartments.
– It was a stepping stone to modern fitted kitchens.
– 1980s backlash against industrial kitchen planning.
– Emergence of informal eating spaces in modern kitchens.
– Rise of flat pack kitchens in the 2000s.
– Introduction of chefs’ kitchens in larger homes.
– Concept of unfitted kitchens by Johnny Grey.
**Materials and Design of Kitchens:**
– Modern built-in kitchens use materials like particle boards, wood veneers, and glass.
– Stainless steel was common until the 1950s, replaced by cheaper options.
– Commercial kitchens often use stainless steel for durability.
– Residential kitchens now feature a variety of finishes and materials.
– The Frankfurt Kitchen of 1926 was made from a mix of materials.
– Domestic kitchen design is a recent discipline.
– Early optimization ideas date back to Catharine Beecher’s work in 1843.
– Beecher’s model kitchen introduced systematic design based on ergonomics.
– Christine Frederick’s work in 1913 applied Taylorist efficiency principles to kitchen design.
– Architects like Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky and Benita Otte further developed fitted kitchens.
**Types of Kitchen Layouts:**
– Double-file kitchen: Two rows of cabinets on opposite walls, preserving work triangle.
– L-kitchen: Cabinets on two adjacent walls, space for additional table at the third wall.
– U-kitchen: Cabinets along three walls, sink typically at the base of the U.
– G-kitchen: Cabinets along three walls with a partial fourth wall, double basin sink at the corner of G shape.
– Block kitchen (or island): Stove and sink placed in a free-standing island, allowing interaction with guests or family.
**Specialized Kitchen Environments:**
– Canteen kitchens in hotels, hospitals, and institutions.
– Restaurant kitchens subject to public health laws.
– Fast food trends changing restaurant kitchen operations.
– Challenges in railway dining car kitchens.
– Kitchens in aircrafts and ships referred to as galleys.
– Kitchens in railway dining cars.
– Kitchens on cruise ships and large warships.
– Airline kitchens reduced to pantries.
– Kitchens in space shuttles or International Space Station.
– Outdoor kitchens for camping or military camps.
**Cultural Perspectives on Kitchens:**
– Kitchens in Japan (Daidokoro) and their historical significance.
– Sayings involving kamado in the Japanese language.
– Kitchens in India (Rasoi or Swayampak ghar) and their unique cooking methods.
– Use of vastushastra in Indian kitchen architecture.
– Fuel sources like gas stoves, biogas, and solar energy in Indian kitchens.
