Project Overview and Structure

The document presents the "Manhattan" kitchen design project by Composit S.p.a., emphasizing a rational, innovative, and structured approach. The project focuses on practicality, space optimization, technology integration, and detailed design elements to blend functional and aesthetic innovation in kitchen environments.

Design Philosophy and Style

Inspired by New York City's metropolitan elegance, the Manhattan kitchen features smooth surfaces with detailed elements such as thin worktops (visible thickness of 1 cm), color-matched vertical handles, and low plinths (6 cm high). The design, credited to Daniele Lo Scalzo Moscheri, creates a strong, innovative character through consistent finishes and geometric rigor.

Technical and Spatial Integration

The kitchen concept integrates technical spaces with living areas, creating a spatial blending effect. Key features include 136 cm high gold leaf-finished columns with illuminated shelves, a cylindrical wall-mounted hood, base units with pull-out doors, and wall units with glossy white decorated doors. Finishes combine glossy lacquer (black and white) and black Unicolor worktops.

Lighting and Geometrical Details

Lighting innovations include tapered wall shelves with integrated LED lighting along their length and a new opal glass lighting hood for homogeneous light diffusion. The design emphasizes horizontal and vertical geometries through thin worktops and vertical handles, with illuminated shelves and LED cuts enhancing clean lines and formal rigor.

Component Quality and Planning Rigor

All components adhere to strict design canons ensuring formal cleanliness and rigor, from technical zones to internal equipment like pan drawers and storage baskets. The project maintains simplicity and cohesion across all elements, ensuring a high-quality kitchen environment.

Finish Variants and Lighting Innovations

Variants include silver leaf wall units and cylindrical steel hoods. The opal glass lighting hood provides uniform illumination, enhancing ambiance and visual appeal.

Materials and Structural Elements

• Opal Glass: Used for soft, uniform light diffusion on walls and surfaces.
• Stainless Steel: Applied in hanging units, cylindrical bells, bottle holders, and compartments for durability and modern aesthetics.
• Wood Finishes: Laminated wengé and lacquered white surfaces combine elegance with practicality.

Functional Design and Modular Composition

• Peninsula Table: Connects kitchen zones, available in two sizes (220 cm length, 90/120 cm depth), with laminated unicolor edges and integrated bottle holders and glass compartments.
• Multifunctional Island: Features flush "water and fire" elements, open cabinets, and combines glossy white lacquered columns with laminated wengé and stainless steel finishes.
• Base Units and Columns: Include pan drawers and wall units with glossy black decorated doors, topped with white unicolor worktops and color-matched vertical handles.

Innovative Mechanisms and Practical Solutions

• Soft-Opening Pistons: Enable gentle door operation without handles, enhancing usability and aesthetics.
• Pull-Out Electrical Tower: Retractable tower with embedded sockets in the worktop for convenient power access.

Integrated Lighting Systems

• Embedded Light Cuts: Columns feature lighting integrated into worktop thickness with presence sensors for homogeneous illumination.
• Presence Sensors: Automatically activate lighting for energy efficiency and user convenience.

Design and Geometry

• Visible Thickness Reduction: Emphasizes a 1 cm thick white unicolor worktop section and 6 cm low plinth with matching vertical handles for a sleek look.
• Variable Thickness Shelves: Shelves taper to 1.5 cm thickness at edges, incorporating lighting to enhance function and aesthetics.

Additional Features

• Open Elements: Stainless steel bottle holders and glass compartments adjacent to work areas add functionality and serve as focal points.
• Homogeneous Illumination: Opal glass and embedded lighting ensure uniform light diffusion across surfaces.

Specifications and Materials

• Worktop thickness up to 1.5 cm, with visible top section limited to 1 cm in white.
• Baseboard fixed at 6 cm height, vertical and color-matched.
• Finishes include polymeric glossy/matte lacquered, light quartz, steel, and post-formed polymer with wood grain relief.
• Columns and peninsula units equipped with appliances or pantry units, finished to match kitchen surfaces.
• Handles and plinths available in matching finishes or aluminum.

Design and Aesthetic Features

• Contrasting materials such as stainless steel worktops and built-in appliances create a cutting-edge, rigorous aesthetic.
• Wide range of finishes supports customization in tonalities and surface textures.
• Open elements and peninsula units often feature raised breakfast worktops for added style and function.
• Glossy brown baseboards and handles complement overall kitchen finishes.

Internal Equipment and Functional Rationalization

• Transparent crystal and metal pull-out trays for columns improve organization.
• Corner base units equipped with trolleys optimize storage.
• Integrated accessories for dishes and cutlery enhance space utilization.
• Internal baskets and extractable trays improve accessibility.
• Aluminum-finished handles ensure durability and aesthetic consistency.

Recommendations and Best Practices

• Use contrasting materials to enhance avant-garde style.
• Balance glossy and matte finishes to maintain aesthetic rigor.
• Select internal equipment to maximize space rationalization and ease of use.
• Match plinths and handles with kitchen finishes or opt for aluminum for visual coherence.

Limitations and Parameters

• Worktop thickness limited to 1.5 cm maximum in certain units.
• Visible top sections restricted to 1 cm thickness and single white color, limiting design variation.
• Baseboard height fixed at 6 cm, important for kitchen planning.

Summary of Key Features

Interior Space Rationalization

Modular interior components include removable trays for columns made of transparent crystal, base corner carts, and accessories for plates and cutlery, enhancing space organization and accessibility.

Door Handles

Two main vertical handle types are specified: wooden handles and aluminum-finished handles, each identified by specific product codes (e.g., Manhattan 0478, 0479, 080, 081).

Door Types and Finishes

• Smooth Doors: Also called "Anta liscia" or "Porte lisse," featuring smooth surface finishes.
• Finishes: Include direct glossy lacquer (standard and RAL colors), matte lacquer, polymeric post-formed with wood grain relief, and metallic gold and silver finishes with decorative gloss.

Color and Material Notes

Colors shown are indicative due to printing limitations and cannot guarantee exact color fidelity. Polymeric doors have a white polymer interior side.

Production and Credits

Project graphics, photography, art buying, pre-press, and printing credits are included, with printing dated June 2008.

Critical Information Summary

• Modular interior components improve space organization with removable trays and accessories.
• Vertical handles available in wood and aluminum finishes with specific codes.
• Doors offered in smooth and various lacquered finishes, including glossy, matte, polymeric with wood effects, and metallic.
• Color representations are indicative; polymeric doors have white polymer interiors.
• Terminology provided in multiple languages for international clarity.

Conclusion

The Manhattan kitchen system offers a comprehensive, modular, and flexible solution for modern kitchens. It combines advanced materials, innovative lighting, practical mechanical solutions, and a rigorous design philosophy emphasizing contrast and formal cleanliness. The system supports a wide range of finishes and internal equipment, enhancing both aesthetic appeal and functional usability in avant-garde kitchen environments.

Manufacturer Information

Composit S.p.a.
Strada Provinciale Fogliense 41
61020 Montecchio di S.A. in Lizzola (PU), Italy
Phone: +39 0721 90971
Fax: +39 0721 497882
Website: www.composit.it
Email: [email protected]