The bulthaup b2 is probably the most compact kitchen of our time. Reduced to three basic elements – the workbench, the kitchen tool cabinet and the appliance housing cabinet – it blends in effortlessly with the changing living situations of its owners: It can be extended at will and can be built and dismantled again with ease at any time. With its clear forms and exceptionally functional design, it creates an unmistakable atmosphere, re-interpreting the kitchen living space as a kitchen workshop.

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” – this premise by Paul the Apostle could also have been the inspiration for the Vienna-based design group EOOS when they were designing the b2 kitchen workshop for bulthaup. With their own approach of “poetical analysis”, which underpins archetypal pictures and often centuries-old actions and rituals, they arrived at an elemental, form-accomplished, highly functional and futuristic solution that also draws inspiration from its tried-and-tested ancestors.

The kitchen workbench, which bulthaup first introduced in 1988 and which has since evolved into a classic, has long since proven its worth. The new bulthaup b2 workbench, probably the most compact and beautiful freestanding “kitchen island”, combining, like its forerunner, everything needed for preparing, cooking and enjoying:  A work surface, water point, cooking area and, not least, an eating area. The new feature is that the arrangement of the individual functional areas is not static, but instead is highly flexible. Depending on the relevant requirements and personal tastes, the individual modules can be combined within the two side clamping jaws, offering a wealth of sequence possibilities, useful functions and material choices. With an elastic joining profile developed by bulthaup that not only guarantees flawlessly tight seals but can also be removed and replaced as many times as you wish, the various modules such as the stainless steel, natural stone or fine wood work surfaces, water point, gas or electric hob and teppanyaki plate can be joined together at will. In view of its flexible construction, the workbench can be fitted in numerous new combinations and be extended and reduced again as need dictates. Bendable aluminum-colored tubes enclose the installation pipes for electricity, water and gas. The side clamping jaws are not only there for static purposes; containers of ingredients and kitchen utensils can be hung in a functional gap, making them easily accessible when cooking.

The compact, highly functional and yet purist-looking b2 workbench is supplemented with form-accomplished, craftsman-finished furniture: The bulthaup b2 kitchen tool cabinet. This pure treasure, made from oak or walnut and which can either stand against the wall or free, like a sculpture, also possesses strong “internal values” as well as its external beauty. With flawless form, the bulthaup b2 kitchen tool cabinet combines tradition with progress. Once the storage doors are open, it presents its entire contents to the user. Glasses, pots, pans and kitchen utensils are immediately to hand. Drawers were eschewed completely. Just like in a tool cabinet, everything is on full view. This not only encourages efficient and ergonomic working, but also leads to the effect of keeping only the best and proven items, not wasting space on superfluous things. The internal organization of the kitchen tool cabinet can also be customized to suit the user’s individual needs. For delicate crockery that cannot sit directly on the wooden trivets, there are aluminum shelves that can optionally be fitted with plug sockets. The storage space in the storage doors can be supplemented with rails, hooks, dispensing containers, kitchen roll holder, general-purpose containers, spice containers, knife board and even a conveniently shaped note holder. If more storage space is needed, an aluminum frame door can be integrated that can hold dispensing containers and general-purpose containers.

Electric appliances that are indispensable in the kitchen, such as refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, etc., do not detract in any way from the purism of b2, which focuses on the essentials: They disappear into the appliance housing cabinet where, with the exception of the oven, they perform their work discreetly behind closed doors. A practical addition is the waste element on castors, which can be parked under the workbench and is then always handy wherever it is needed. The stainless steel exterior encloses three containers, which make separating garbage easy. A detail that is as well thought-out, functional and flexible as all of the other b2 elements.