One more marquee-worthy achievement on the very necessary road toward life as lived aboard the Starship Enterprise, the Original Circle Kitchen by CC Concepts, Ltd., is both space-age and space-savvy, fashionable and futuresque; it’s one of those inspired and novel design concepts that—as the infomercial proclaims—”someone should have invented years ago!” My response to this genial pseudo lament is that, conceptually speaking, someone did.

Original Circle Kitchen. Manufactured by CC Concepts, Ltd.

I refer to the imaginative prognostications of not only Star Trek creator Gene Rodenberry, but also those of George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, and the masterful Stanley Kubrick, each of whom became well practiced at envisioning the logistical ramifications of life amid the cosmos. It seems the constraints of interstellar travel have become terrestrial, at least if the recent profusion of space-saving designs—a la Clei Space-Savers, Tumidei Mini Lofts, and Casulo’s Life in a Box—can be said to speak to the subject. The novelty of the Circle Kitchen surpasses even the innovations of this impressive trio, since it replaces the most expansive and complicated (and expensive) room in the house with a mere lazy Suzan, albeit one that rotates 180 degrees and, within the most modest dimensions of 1.8 square meters, houses a modern and marvelous ensemble including counterspace, shelves, cupboards, dishwasher, microwave, and sink. The faster way of saying this is that the Circle Kitchen is in all probability the most functional furnishing per square inch the world has seen.

CC Concepts is a bit modest about their achievement: “compressed into the smallest space but with a storage capacity equivalent to 12 cupboards and a bench top length of approx. 3000 mm (about ten feet), the Circle Kitchen is equipped with refrigerator, dishwasher, ceramic hob, oven with microwave, range hood, sink and waste bin.” The manufacturer markets the concept as ideal for “apartment, loft, condominium, hotel room, holiday home, retirement residence, as well as office and foyer”—anywhere were space is at a premium. While the concept certainly lends itself to such constraints, it also opens up unprecedented possibilities: fully-functional guest quarters, multi-kitchen houses for roommate situations, second homes with “detachable” kitchens to cut down on redundancy (yes, the Circle Kitchen is portable).

Notwithstanding these exciting applications, I’d like to see the piece in action to confirm it works as well as it would seem: does the range breathe/vent sufficiently when in use and rotated to the back? Do items in the fridge and cupboards stay secure through the multiple rotations that would occur during meal prep? Are there installation complications (I’m thinking principally of facilitating drainage). But given the sheer bravado of the idea—and the execution of same in living, breathing, vibrant color—I’d wager that CC Concepts has these small caveats covered. Their Circle Kitchen is certainly an inspired taste of things to come

via PSFK