Evolution of the kitchen space and food consumption in a household

The traditional notion of a kitchen has its roots based in the most basic and raw concept related to food consumption and making, as is seen in the 1800s, where the fireplace hearth was the center of all cooking. The notion of a ‘living room’ was separated when the cooking stove was invented around the 1850’s, becoming the new cooking spot (i) The social construct of the time represented a female gender dominance in this field and the associated domestic activities were thus influenced along with the basic act of cooking An early photo from the late 1890s helps us understand a change in the way the internal layout of the kitchen was laid, as it was then that the Niagara Stove Co Stove (ii) was set against a wall with the pipe going upwards along with it

This is indicative of the idea that a space like this which was closely related to services was laid against the wall. Keeping the rest of the floor free. The set-up was a very compact one, focused on the only act of cooking and minimal storage, almost a state of minimalism as mentioned by Mies when he talks about ‘existenzminimum’, which is based on the optimization of standardized dwelling types for working class families.1 What is observed later is the dawn of individualization of the system that would operate with interconnected variables to a result that would be constructional, spatial or structural.

Later years portray a shift that gave more importance to storage and organization while reserving a free surface for preparation, like mixing, cutting and garnishing.(iv)

The 1900s witnessed a change where the kitchen assumed a larger space in the layout of the house where the lady of the house could spend more time. It incorporated additional furniture elements like a rocking chair, giving the kitchen a new identity and spatial character in the house. (iii)

The introduction of the industrially produced Hoosier Cabinet Company (v) professed the idea of a standalone cabinet that could be set next to a stove and a sink. This is indirectly related to the idea of optimizing the circulation space especially within the traditional household, connecting and condensing spaces between the barn, pantry, shed and the well It also marked a cultural shift in the way cooking was looked at, making it a source of pleasure and not just a routine task

The model kitchen assumed the character of being highly integrated and efficient with the large sink and preparation area set up along with storage above it. This basic diagram has been improvised and built upon in the later years while dealing with different domestic environments.(vi)

One of the major shifts around 1915 is the act of cooking starting to become a family affair. Going beyond the necessary and minimal concepts of food consumption in a household, this opened up new doors and ideas of kitchen being a place of gathering. This also indicates a change in the structure of the house, where the children were taught how to cook and be involved in the daily activities of domestic life. As Nicholas Rose talks about ‘Maximising the Mind’2 where Walkerdine talks about how parents could teach Mathematics to their children without even realizing it, by spending time together by doing activities that involve counting items in the basket, weighing and measuring and so on. This also hints at changing attitudes of homebased learning making it an integral and incidental part of the day-to-day events.