Five kitchen designs submitted by individuals from four countries were selected in GE’s FirstBuild Micro-Kitchen Challenge to create a fully functioning kitchen design in a small footprint. FirstBuild will incorporate elements of each of the designs in micro-kitchen prototypes, which it will manufacture and sell.
The need for micro-kitchen designs is being driven by continued urbanization growth. By 2030, the world’s urban population is expected to hit five billion, according to the United Nations, significantly driving down the average size of living spaces. The Micro-Kitchen Challenge was developed to solve the design and engineering hurdles in creating a kitchen that will maintain style and functionality in a significantly smaller footprint than traditional kitchens.
FirstBuild is an online community of engineers, designers, scientists and home enthusiasts dedicated to conceiving, co-creating and building the next generation of major home appliances. Participants identify market needs, directly participate in the product development and watch via social media as ideas move from mind to market at the FirstBuild Microfactory in Louisville, Ky.
The micro-kitchen design winners, chosen from a pool of 87 entries, narrowed down to five finalists, are:
- Alexandra Jemnicka (Slovak Republic), pictured
- Issac Benjamin Robledo Cazares (Guadalajara, Mexico)
- Lautaro Vogel (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
- Jolee Nebert (Seattle, Wash., USA)
- Tim Boyle (Mesa, Ariz., USA)
