Bulthaup

Using a proprietarylaser welding technique, the gas stovetop is integrated seamlessly into the kitchen work surface. The first linear, unbroken connection between range and sink is a prerequisite for perfect kitchen work. Through ongoing innovation, the manufacturer from Lower Bavaria has continually redefined the home kitchen and established itself – according to a study by the magazine Wirtschaftswoche – as one of Germany’s five leading luxury kitchen brands. In the olden days, the kitchen was a place of warmth, pleasant smells and congeniality. In the 20th century, under the influence of the Bauhaus movement, it evolved into an efficient, space-saving production site. Bulthaup was one of those producing “additive” linear kitchens, until in the early 1980s the “end of the architecture doctrine” was proclaimed. Graphic artist and unconventional thinker Otl Aicher had done some deep thinking on behalf of the firm and in the process rediscovered an existential activity. The springboard for his deliberations was by no means grandma’s cosy old kitchen nook, but instead the kind of ergonomics and flexibility Aicher observed at the workplaces of modern professional chefs. The concept was first put into practice in 1982 with System b – a paradigm change that gave Bulthaup its unique selling point. At the heart of the new kitchen is a central work island. Instead of staring at the wall, the cook now has an unhindered view into space. Later this workspace was varied, taking the form of a “kitchen workbench” (1988) made of stainless steel, a further milestone. The new way of using the kitchen called for a different type of furniture, e.g. ceiling-mounted cabinets, a shelf for ingredients from which spoons and saucepans can also be hung within easy reach. Along with its new furnishings concept, Bulthaup also brought out a range of high-grade saucepans and kitchen tools. Later on, tables and chairs were added with the series Duktus and Korpus. The systems designed by Herbert H. Schultes, S 25 and S 20 (1992 and 1997) are today regarded as standard, featuring counter heights that are easy on the back, rolling shutters replacing cabinet doors, and kitchen containers on wheels. Finally, Schultes developed the b3 system (2004), which is no longer fixed in place according to a particular floor plan, but can be moved along a stable steel skeleton for a variety of different wall designs.