Water Conscious Produce Prep Station

Carmen SchweizerTracy Zaslow & Ayako Takase

Spring Design Principals II19 May 2015

User Group focus: Home ChefThe home chef is passionate to be in the

kitchen environment.

Unlike commercial chefs, home chefs approach cooking from a more private level, and may require different kitchen

product needs.

This group is also unique in its universality; home chefs can be professionals cooking

at home, families, children, college students… just about anyone that is

passionate for preparing food!

Design Focus: Water Conservation in the Home Kitchen

Water conservation is surprisingly easily achievable in the kitchen.

Many forget of the waste accumulation that small but frequent tasks cost.

Because the kitchen environment is such a mainstay in the home, there is a great amount to be improved on in terms of designing for water conservation.

Some initial tips!

1. Wash fruits and veggies in a basin rather than under the tap

2. soak dirty/baked on dishes in a basin before scraping and rinsing

3. Reuse boiling water for soup stocks

4. Use greywater from washing veggies, leftover ice cubes and cooled boiling water to water houseplants

Inspiration From the Current Market

Field Work: Research & Observation

JWU Culinary Students

- A series of online and in-person surveys were conducted within the user group, including:

a. Johnson & Wales University Culinary Students and Faculty

b. Personal RISD (and non- RISD) Friends & Family interested in cooking/baking

c. Typeform online surveys sent to chef/foodie forum sites

Fieldwork Results: Understanding Design NeedsDo you pre-wash your fruits

& Veggies before use?

Is water conservation important to you?

Do you think of how much water you are using while

cooking?

How often do you reuse water in the

kitchen?

Honing the Problem StatementThe term ‘Home Chef’ fall under a broad scope of people of all age ranges, genders and place of origin that hold a common thread; the love for cooking/baking in their domestic environment. Designing for this group with focuses of water conservation efforts and product sustainability requires a balance of familiar tradition and innovative benefits. Investigating this user group through observation, a series of online and personal surveys and interviews, as well as looking at the current products on the market, provided a platform understanding the needs of the home chef, and the areas I should focus on. Design opportunities in produce preparation became a primary area of conservation concern. By focusing on this area, providing a balance of traditional familiarity and water conserving and sustainability innovation would be the primary route for redesign for the home chef.

Preliminary Sketching & Modelmaking- Focus: conservation of water runoff whilst preparing produce ingredients after

liberal washing. - Produce preparation: one of the greatest areas of concern for water waste

from data gathered.

Quickly found issues with:- scale- shape of board- material- placement of

reservoir- type of reservoir- hierarchy of

components

User Feedback & Critique - From Skype feedback from Grandmother:

- “I like the traditional board shape”

- “I think I would get food trapped in the little holes, I would hate to clean that

every time.”

- “How am I supposed to get the water below out? Lift? Slide it out?”

Will It Slide out? OR Will It Lift up?

Reservoir Angle unnecessarily steep

Gap between tray is awkward and side fit is loose and wobbly

Feedback Adjustments For a Finalized Design

Final Prep Station Model

The Process1. Produce is washed and prepared, producing liquid runoff that has conserving potential

2. With the scraper, water is pushed through the board slot and falls into the reservoir strainer.

3. Reserved water falls through the perforations and into the reservoir containing basin

4. To empty the basin, the unit is lifted up and using the corner spout, the water can now be poured into:

- houseplants (indoor or outdoor)- any grey water container for

later use

Oak Cutting Board-

Reflective of most popular and traditional materials which home chefs preferSlot is dual functional:

1. A handle in which to remove from reservoir base and to carry2. the main channel which the excess produce water is scraped and flows into

Wooden track for

stable grip onto

reservoir base

Slot is a functioning

handle for easy on and off of the board onto the stainless steel

base

Grey water is directed with the scraper through the slot and into

the straining basin below

Stainless Steel Grey Water Strainer and Collection Basin-

Fully dismantlable, the steel grey water basin, highlights the function of this product- to conserve product runoff water and to be designed to be broken down sustainably after years of use

Simple bended design is strong throughout the product's lifetime- enables a sturdy steel base for preparing on

and later allows for easy dismantling

Low angle of the strainer harnesses gravity to direct runoff water towards the center and

through the perforations

The reservoir basin functions as the container of the collected produce grey water.

It features a quiet corner spout which directs the water neatly when poured into any other grey water container

Oak & Stainless Steel Board Scraper

This attachment allows effective (and

knife saving) scraping of the

board from runoff water.

The scraper is simple and geometric, reflecting both oak and stainless steel materials seen in the cutting board and reservoir base. It ties elements of the two together to create more dialogue between the

two materials

The Prep Station- Assembled

Quiet design and appearance with

environmentally conscious intent and function

Cutting board slot position can be changed left to right to accompany

different user hand dominance

The Prep Station- Assembled

Final Prep Station Renderings

Fully separating elements provide ease of

transportation, storage in the home, and recyclability after years of durable use.

Tradition and Innovation for Produce Preparation