At the last Milan Furniture Fair, bulthaup presented what has become their classic main line, the b3 system. Presented for the first time in 2004, over the years b3 has been extended with new materials and finishes and now also rearranged in an unusual kitchen-landscape: the hob is lower than the sink while the worktop, lower still, can be used to sit on. The aim of the installation was to demonstrate fully the philosophy of the German company, as bulthaup’s CEO explained: “What we show here is not only a product but also a philosophy: the state of the art of bulthaup and a completely different landscape”.
For some time now, the bulthaup kitchen has no longer been enclosed within four walls and has extended into the living room, following the inspiration of Otl Aicher, co-founder of the Ulm School of Design who believes “A really good kitchen is a kitchen which goes beyond the separation between living space and kitchen”
“There are four basic functions in a kitchen: water, fire, storage and preparation. You can hide them behind a wall or you can break them up and try to reinvent the kitchen. In this landscape we show different perspectives, different heights: you can have a standard working height, you can sit on the storage and the seating landscape invites people to touch with their hands”, continues Eckert.
With the aim of demonstrating the potential of a flexible and dynamic kitchen system, bulthaup also presented a collage of different elements from the b3 system made in different colours and materials - such as concrete, stone, hand-painted tiles and planks of worn wood – placed at different levels.