Sketch for Herbert H. Shultes

“Our idea was to address demographic change in western society by saving resources–in other words, reducing the volume of raw materials we used and the energy required for shipping them–and to highlight the sensuous and emotional components of a new system as well as its practical, functional merits.” Those are the words of Herbert H. Schultes, responsible of the bulthaup b3 design system, where the idea of “actively using the wall” is the core innovation.

The b3 system offers an incredibly wide range of versatile design options for perfect kitchens, as well as surprising solutions for functional and aesthetic changes to spaces that extend beyond the kitchen area. Combining functionality and ergonomics with minimalist, pure forms, bulthaup b3 not only creates precise functionality but also   boasts a sensuous, sculptural character. One of its basic principles involves doing away with hard-to-reach areas; instead, this system optimizes use of the space between the wall and base units. bulthaup b3 can be installed with wall-hung, floor-standing or       foot-supported units, depending on how much storage space is needed. All three installation options create the impression of a “floating” kitchen. bulthaup b3 is the design system that makes working and living in the kitchen easier and gives the entire space an elegant, lightweight, floating appearance.

The multi-functional wall is the structural base element and sturdy steel skeleton of the kitchen system. Absolutely everything–from cabinets and worktops, cooktops, water points, and appliances to myriad accessories–is hung from this wall. To make an entire kitchen “float,” it takes more than just wall anchors. The solution developed by bulthaup features a solid steel support framework that can hold up to 1,000 kg per meter and transfer the weight down the wall to the floor. This force is the equivalent to the weight of a limousine hung lengthwise and ensures more safety than any applicable standards require.

The bulthaup b3 design system features the unique language of form preferred by connoisseurs worldwide.

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The quality is in the details:

formal clarity, precise craftsmanship and manufacturing

This is where Son Grua Nou stands, a house in which architect Joan Riusech succeeded in combining the understated exterior of a traditional Mallorcan house with the open indoor spaces of a modern dwelling. Hence, although from the outside the house is dominated by the rather rugged sobriety of roughhewn stone, on the inside we find pure lines that are emphasized by the spotless white of the walls and ceilings. This minimalist atmosphere is further reinforced by the natural light beaming into the space, highlighting an eclectic decorative style and works of art selected from the Joan Melià gallery.

From the entrance hall, through a white sliding door, we reach a living room with large windows, and, next to it and without any further transition, a magnificent bulthaup kitchen. In the kitchen, white prevails again, in keeping with the rest of the house; however, here contrasts are achieved with the use of stainless steel for the ovens, the extractor hood, and the plinth panels, and by the warmth of a thick slab of walnut extending from one end of the cooking island. The windows running along all three sides of this space frame the landscape like hyperrealist paintings, inviting us to bask in contemplation of the world outside, while aromatic dishes are prepared in the midst of a lively conversation among good friends.

The second floor houses the bedrooms and a wonderful covered terrace offering the rough, untamed allure of the Mallorcan mountain range.

bulthaup Partner: bulthaup Mallorca, Nicolau
Architecture project: Joan Riusech
Photographs: Toni Font
Reform date: 2013
Area: 568m2
Location: Mallorca, Spain.

Puntas de Calnegre, Murcia. A protected area whose cliffs and coves shape a ragged coastline. A barren landscape where the wind blowing in from the south reminds us that Africa is not far.

On the edge of this nature reserve, a white and grey vantage point juts out from a rocky hill covered in cacti. In a community whose people are still bound to the earth and to the sea, making the most of both its potential and its limitations, we encounter a bold interplay of volumes that happens to merge surprisingly well with its surroundings. A space whose apparent austerity springs to life with the small and great daily pleasures of its inhabitants: a couple, with the sea and a life ahead of them, who love to surf and to fish. A setting that invites one to retreat, but also to bring a handful of good friends together.

The four floors in the house share a central element: a staircase, hand built with 10mm sheet metal, and a HEB 220 beam, both made of stainable steel, that takes off from the basement and head upwards, connecting the different levels all the way to the roof deck. The garage and storeroom in the bottom level house the couple’s vehicles: a car, boats, and windsurf boards. The ground floor encloses the least exposed, most private area in the building, including the bedrooms, the laundry room, and the main hallway. If we keep on heading upward, we suddenly stop dead in our tracks. The view spans the entire arc of the bay. The heart of the home opens out to the sea, to the outlines of the hills, breaking the barriers between outside and in. The open space that contains the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room extends seamlessly out to the terraces.

We keep on going up the stairs: on the roof, from the sun deck, we witness a stunning uninterrupted panorama of those same hills, of that same sea.

We return to the central space in the house. The rough-hewn, somewhat industrial character of the exposed materials on the walls and ceilings is appeased by the views pouring in the picture windows, tamed by the persuasive elegance of the centerpiece: an immense bulthaup island.

The owners were well aware of the role they were attributing to a kitchen that was so exposed, acknowledging the need for its being endowed with exceptional character and quality. bulthaup b3 system units with white laminate fronts were installed with an oven that allowed for baking the largest catch of the day; the work area was conceived as a space to be shared with close friends.

At Puntas del Calnegre, people don’t fence in their land. They have a different sense of boundaries. A good harvest, a great day out fishing: reason enough to gather and celebrate.

In an environment where the perfection of simplicity prevails, bulthaup sets the perfect stage for sharing everyday pleasures.

bulthaup Partner: bulthaup Murcia, Quarta
Architecture project: Javier Peña Galiano – XPIRAL
Contractor: Juan Cañavate Llopis
Assistant architects: Jesús Galera, Pablo García
Photographs: David Frutos
Construction date: 2007
Area: 450m2
Location: Lorca, Murcia, Spain.

Restoring a 14th-century building and turning it into a unique contemporary apartment calls for weighty judgment calls, a heightened awareness of what deserves to remain. This savoir-faire was the spirit that moved the owners, architects, and designers at Can Caurelles.

The owners wanted a home in which the moments and gestures in their everyday lives could coexist with a strong presence of art in all its forms.

In this versatile home, you wander through rooms and spaces between paintings and sculptures that in certain instances act as frames and in others are the main object of your attention.

The kitchen had to pass unnoticed without losing any of its functionality. Adjoining the living room, it had to “vanish” when not in use, extending the space left for peace and quiet. A 32m2 section of the main floor was assigned for this space, the best-lit area within the entire residence. And, in fact, light is of the utmost importance to the owners, passionate collectors who viewed the kitchen as a living space where they could place their works of art.

That was their reason for choosing bulthaup. A sleek white b3 system appears to merge with the luminous space, and a sculptural cooking island provides an understated division in the room.

The kitchen opens up directly to the living room, which becomes more spacious, well proportioned, and elegant. To heighten this effect, the design team decided not to use tall units so as not to distract the viewer from the works of art on display.

While they sip a glass of wine or cook dinner with their friends, the owners enjoy the feeling of being in a warm, enveloping space, surrounded by art.

This magnificent project was orchestrated by multifaceted architect and interior designer Luis Laplace, who employed a team of specialized craftsmen to adapt as many of the original materials and accessories as possible to contemporary use.

bulthaup Partner: bulthaup Mallorca, Groc i Blau
Architecture Project: Luis Laplace
Photographs: Matthias Soeder
Construction date: 2008
Area: 600m2
Location: Palma de Mallorca. España

The Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, which recently closed its 2013 edition, is one of the leading furniture industry and accessories fairs in Europe, featuring the latest innovations in design and manufacturing.

As soon as you walked into the bulthaup showroom on via Durini, you found yourself standing in a kitchen, but everything seemed to have changed. The water point was set so high that you had to stretch to reach the faucet. You looked down and saw a cooktop at your feet. And the countertop across the way invited you to take a seat.

This vibrant collage had been assembled from a selection of bulthaup b3 units in different colors and materials placed at varying heights on steps and platforms made of concrete, stone, hand-painted lava tiles, and wood flooring. As the visitors moved around the room, they discovered striking juxtapositions and new points of view: the perspectives kept on changing.

The installation encouraged visitors to relax and strike up conversations, but also to consider and discuss what living spaces mean to us in the 21st century.

bulthaup addresses each particular space so we can experience it with our five senses: sight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing. For the kitchen of the 21st century, this implies flexibility and adapting to specific individual needs. It means a landscape created with bulthaup b3 that changes our perspectives and opens our minds up to a broader conception of the kitchen, as bulthaup CEO Marc O. Eckert explains in the following video:

No two bulthaup kitchens are the same. Each one is designed and manufactured in line with the unique requirements, lifestyles and traditions of families, couples or individuals. And people leave their own personal stamp on the kitchen space, as they use it, live their lives in it and make it their own by adding items over time. With this in mind, the Milan exhibition included a selection of utensils and accessories grouped by type and purpose: preparing, cooking, serving, storing, and washing.

Artist and photographer Florian Böhm and art director Annahita Kamali, who jointly orchestrated the bulthaup mise-en-scène in Milan, gathered these items from all over the world. They also set up a library of 200 cookbooks at the back of the exhibition area, in a particularly cozy atmosphere that enticed visitors to settle down and read for a while.

We develop special relationships with the objects around us. We collect and introduce cherished pieces from different places and styles that we have picked up along the way throughout our lives. Acknowledgment of these relationships has influenced some of the latest trends in kitchens and living spaces, stimulating industrial and interior designers to adapt the way they think, develop, and propose new solutions–such as the extraordinary wall panel introduced by bulthaup, which unleashes its functionality both inward and outward.

bulthaup offered a fresh twist on the multifunctional wall: personal objects–from valuable heirlooms to contemporary objets d’art–can be stored and displayed in the space behind the panel. Cherished items can be showcased in an open-fronted brass cube, which you can position freely on the horizontal plane. In another section, the panels slid open vertically with a gentle touch. An exceptionally wide pull-out on the bottom revealed functional prisms lined with leather, where a selection of fine wines, spirits and drinking glasses were displayed.

bulthaup showcased the full potential of the b3 system to open up an architectural landscape and have it speak to our five senses. By experimenting with materials, surface finishes, colors, and shapes, it demonstrated how a kitchen’s aura evolves: through the interaction of predefined elements with the individual imprints of people’s lives. Just like the traditional Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy, the resulting contrast celebrates the beauty of imperfection. The true context emerges at the moment when the specific individual comes into play.

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