Yu Li creates portable cooking set for kitchenless millennials
Royal College of Art graduate Yu Li has designed a portable kitchen that is aimed at millennials with limited space in their homes.
Called Assembly, the seven-in-one set contains a cutting board, an induction hob, a pot and pan, a wrap for utensils and cutlery, a dish rack and a portable box.
The project is designed for students and young people in shared accommodation who have limited access to kitchen space.
"The end users are millennials, young professionals who don't have sufficient kitchen space" explained Li, who studied on the Design Products masters course at the Royal College of Art.
"They might be sharing the kitchen with others – facing the situation of 'kitchen traffic' – or living alone in a studio with a kitchenette."
Assembly provides a portable, one-package alternative to standard kitchens, which – according to Li – are designed for traditional nuclear families rather than for shared use.
According to the designer, each product is designed to be functional, compact and aesthetically pleasing.
The tools are stored in a white case with red outlining, with a handle and series of shelves that are moulded to fit around the appliances.
The back of the case can be removed and used as a tray, which has a groove that stores a red box and a wooden chopping board. The tray can also be slotted into the drying rack to collect excess water.
The induction hob has a white surface with a timer, ignition and temperature controls, while the pot and pan are made from stainless steel with red plastic handles. The handle of the pan can be removed to double as tongs.
"The idea is to trim the original kitchen space down to a few minimal elements so space can be designed simpler, neater and transformed into other purposes to increase the space utilisation," said Li.
Assembly was on show at the Royal College of Art as part of their annual degree show. Other graduate projects include a series of brass tools that aim to encourage muscle memory to help train dancers and a ceramic tea set made using fabric moulds.