EKU

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EKU

EKUHurricane Katrina damaged or destroyed more than 75,00 homes.

IntroductionCrises can occur. Anywhere. Any time. The Emergency Kitchen Unit (EKU) is designed for situations in which individuals are left without a way of preparing a meal. The EKU contains all of the equipment necessary to cook for one person or for many. The rugged streamlined design is effective as a self-contained appliance that can be shipped by the thousands to disaster areas around the world. At the same time, it is also ideal for small-scale living such as in unfinished lofts or condos, while awaiting arrival of appliances or for car or tent camping.

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The L’Aquila earthquakes left over 60,000 Italians homeless.

Background research

ProcessThrough the technique of mind mapping around kitchen wares, the emergency kitchen concept evolved. The diagramming technique brought forth the idea of providing the necessities of the kitchen to areas where they do not exist or have been destroyed.

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DesignHousewares: Furnishings for a house; especially: small articles of household equipment (as cooking utensils)

Merriam-Webster

A perfect design (if one can exist) includes an appealing form and functions flawlessly. Housewares are utilitarian, each tool is designed to perform its task quickly and efficiently. Because this demand is high, the form almost always follows its function. Within the house, tools’ functions are very clear. But what happens when the house is swept away by a hurricane or burnt to the ground? The emergency kitchen explores this question and poses solutions for situations where kitchens do not exist.

The basis for design is to provide two weeks of fueled cooking, fresh water and all wares necessary to prepare food in severe situations.

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Original layout

Example of burner and pot

FormThe first form really explored what needed to be included and the potential for interlocking pieces. Each piece of the shell needed to be a functional piece of the unit whether for storage, cooking or heating. The egg shape was interesting and ultimately led to discovering that the most efficient form needed to be freestanding as well as stacking.

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B

C

D

E

F

A. GrillB. Burner/control unitC. Cookware storageD. Propane storage

E. Detachable piecesF. Propane

FunctionThe second form of the emergency kitchen explored the questions of where, why and how. It showed that with modularity and utilization of space the emergency kitchen could be truly universal and could be implemented in situations ranging from all nighters in the studio to disaster zones across the globe.

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In disaster situations efficiency is crucial Weight plays a large factor in the design of emergency aid products. The shell of the kitchen must be lightweight and durable to withstand impacts and chaotic situations. High grade powder coated aluminum is light, strong and provides an amount of flex that would reduce the damage from impact. Bamboo is very strong and very light and could prove to be a good natural alternative. While high strength cardboard would be less durable, it is very light, inexpensive and easily replaceable if damaged.

The color of the Emergency Kitchen Unit needed to be loud and vibrant, standing out against the landscape. The most effective color was inspired by highway roadwork signs. With a high gloss or reflective surface the Emergency Kitchen Unit would be conspicuous and prominent.

Materials and Colors

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In four years these two catastrophic events left over 150,000 people homeless

EvolutionIt was difficult to find exactly how the emergency kitchen would fit into our world. When exactly does an emergency kitchen become necessary? This was a tough question to answer. After more exploration, it became apparent that the difficulty lay in the fact that nothing like it exists today.

The Emergency Kitchen Unit became a utilitarian device challenging the way we think about housewares. It could be thrown out of planes and stacked on pallets for shipping. The Emergency Kitchen Unit evolved into a transforming modular device that could be readily available and easily deployed to replace damaged or destroyed kitchens and cookware.

Outer Casing

Inner unit

EKUDisaster Small ScaleConflicts

MarketsAlthough designed primarily for disaster relief, the EKU is a universal house ware that can serve domestic social services for the homeless, military operations, studio spaces, small scale living and recreational camping. Targeted organizations could include:

AmeriCorpsAmerican Red Cross Doctors Without BordersDignity Village (Portland, OR tent city offering homeless temporary housing) Mercy CorpsNATONorth American Rescue ProductsREIU.S. Military

Color and materials can be modified to accommodate different market preferences

Small Scale

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ModularityThe design of the EKU is such that portability and delivery is as simple as possible. The Unit measures one cubic foot so a standard 4 foot pallet could easily hold 64 units. A one-foot cube also provides compatibility with standard measurements such as those found in delivery vehicles and storage devices and is easily transported by a single person.

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Concept sketch for final version

EKUThe final design is small simple and efficient. Three 4” layers contain all of the components. The bottom level stores the propane tanks. The middle layer swings out providing a workspace and storage for the pot, pan and bowls. The top level houses the burner as well as two compartments - one for utensils and one for the water purifier. Included in the silverware is a detachable handle for the pot and pan which allows them to be stored more compactly. Contained within the 12” cube are supplies for four people for two weeks:

1 8” burner4 16 oz. Propane tank1 high flow water purifier4 5” bowls 4 silverware sets (knife, fork, spoon)1 kitchen knife1 spatula1 8” x 3” (deep) pot1 10” pan1 pot/pan handle

Final exploded view

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Emergency Kitchen UnitThe Emergency Kitchen Unit provides a safe, efficient, and compact solution for providing the amenities of kitchens where there are none. The EKU supplies water purification, heat and a proper workspace. Each unit functions on existing accessible and affordable technologies. Shipped easily in large quantities to all ends of the earth the EKU has endless potential.

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ModelThe cardboard model of the EKU brought life to concept. The model was almost fully functional and to scale. Although store bought each piece was very nearly the dimensions of what would be housed within the EKU. Through the creation of the model many functional details were brought to a head. The cardboard model also made clear the potential for further advancement and refinement. With precision craftsmanship and industrial methods the EKU would be a very effective life and energy saving device.

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