If you don’t mind having a colony of the tiny garbage manufacturing machines—better known as worms—peopling the space beneath your kitchen sink, than the Flow2 Kitchen by Studio Gorm might have a certain earthy appeal. And while it just may be coincidence that the manufacturer’s name is a mere letter’s departure from that of those dirt-loving annelids, I prefer to see it as a bit of cosmic kismet.

Flow2 Kitchen. Designed by Studio Gorm.

Like similar “pod-living” contraptions (see Casulo’s Life in a Box and CC Concepts’ Circle Kitchen), the Flow2 Kitchen maximizes space by concentrating several activities into one self-contained module–in this case, the futuristic “kitchen”: “where nature and technology are integrated in a symbiotic relationship, processes flow into one another in a natural cycle, efficiently utilizing energy, waste, water and other natural resources. it provides a space not only for preparing food but an environment that gives a better understanding of how natural processes work.”

This is an essential lesson, indeed, and one we’ll all need to learn if we’re going to make strides toward living in harmony with these “natural processes.” By bringing the outdoors in—in the form of not only the aforementioned insects but also a gray water distribution system for edible plants—the Flow2 Kitchen does its part to work toward a more sustainable future. The idea is to create a perpetual, symbiotic loop: scraps from kitchen prep are deposited into the worm’s haven/composting bin; nutrient-rich soil from the bin goes to feed the plants; the plants go to feed the humans; the dishes containing the plants are washed and then placed in the elevated dish rack; the dripping water from the rack goes to water the plants—and, voila, you have a complete closed-loop, life-sustaining system in your very own kitchen!

Though the emphasis here is on functionality, the Flow2 Kitchen sports a modern minimalist look that will adapt to any decor. And its simple design makes it ultra-portable. These aesthetic elements converge nicely with Flow2’s life-cycle concept to help achieve Gorm’s aspiration: “a flexible system where resources are reused by several elements creating a dynamic flow between the products.”

via Interior Design