The Snaidero Idea

The project / Prototype

1.During the OBSERVATION of user lifestyles, at a Rehabilitation Centre and with the aid of several organisations specialised in the treatment of spinal pathologies, Lucci and Orlandini tried to simulate the everyday lives of the target users, in order to obtain information about their typical conditions and positions.

A number of interviews were also conducted through Organisations and Associations with people involved in the world of disability in various ways (users, family members, volunteers, professionals, etc.).

Various and specific requirements for improving working conditions in the kitchen were noted:

- easy systems for moving heavy objects and utensils
- prevention of accidental burns
- easy-to-open doors, and access to and use of the worktop
- accessible worktops and presence of support bases easy-to-reach objects inside units
- wheelchairs fitting under the worktop
- easy-to-use electrical appliances, especially the extractor hood.

These photos were taken during the preliminary observation stage by the architects.

The entire project is based on the need for maximum simplicity in the kitchen, by reducing the use of complex electrical mechanisms, which, in addition to being expensive, are subject to wear, require maintenance and have frequent malfunctions.
The other vital requirement that emerged from observation and the interviews was the financial accessibility of the kitchen. .

2. The Observation stage led to the IDEA of a solution that could provide an effective response to the needs communicated by users.

These initial sketches already show the main functional and design features that will accompany the entire project throughout its development stage:

- free space under the worktop
- easy access to the contents of the carousels on the worktop
- the peculiar contoured configuration of the worktop used to increase the usable work area
- no wall units (replaced by easily accessed storage units)
- ergonomic positioning of electrical appliances on the worktop and inside units

The design is also extremely simple in both function and appearance.

3. The next phase was the PRODUCTION OF THE INITIAL MODEL,3. a full-size cardboard kitchen used to check that the heights, distances and proportions were suitable for a person sitting in a wheelchair.

4. Lastly, a working PROTOTYPE was built for ergonomic-functional testing purposes.

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