 Robert J Morton |
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A basic flow model of the processes of preparing, eating and clearing up after a meal is shown below. The meal's ingredients are taken from the food store (1). The cooking utensils are taken from the pan store (2). The ingredients are washed and prepared (3). Peelings and other waste are discarded (4). The prepared ingredients are then put in the appropriate cooking utensils and put on to cook (5).
The table is then set with the plates, cutlery and other tableware (6). The meal is then served and eaten (7). After the meal, the dirty dishes, cutlery and serving pans are cleared from the table (8). Waste is cleared from the plates and pans (9) after which they are washed (10) and replaced in their respective storage units (11) and (12).
The main active appliances used in these processes are a cooker and a dish washer. A freezer and refrigerator are also available for food storage. The cooker comprises a 3-ring ceramic hob and a separate conventional oven. It may also include a 'microwave' or HF oven. An electric mixer or blender may be useful but is not really necessary. I also like to have a toaster. Ideally, two sinks are required. A normal sink is needed for washing large cooking utensils. A smaller sink is useful for washing ingredients when preparing a meal.
Appliances and storage units arranged to minimise the effort and movement required to prepare, serve and clear up after a meal. All non-refrigerated food storage has forced air ventilation.
All active appliances - oven, pots/pans washer, refrigerator and freezer - are installed in such a way that they can be easily accessed from the rear for repair and maintenance. Water used for drinking and cooking passes through a small scale purification unit beneath the food washing sink on its way to the sink's cold water tap.
Below is a physical arrangement of the above activity analysis-based design for my kitchen. It is accommodated within the 'DK' segment of my ideal home plan.
The physical arrangement of the kitchen is based on the assumption that it is far easier to transport just yourself from one place to another in the kitchen than it is to carry pots, pans, plates and food ingredients around. Flow routes for the latter are therefore kept as short and direct as possible at the expense of a little extra hands-free walking.
An extractor hood vents whatever is cooking on the hob into a flue in the cusp area between the kitchen, the lounge and the patio garden. A computer display screen on the right of the serving hatch is for displaying such things as recipes, the current levels of ingredient stocks with estimated run-out times, a seasonal calendar for crops actually in the field and kitchen garden, the maintenance schedules for kitchen equipment, and a kitchen energy consumption calendar.
The organic waste chute behind the sink so that peelings etc. can easily be disposed of.