The most durable kitchen designs begin with an understanding of how people behave around food. When Antonio Citterio conceived Convivium for Arclinea in 2002, he joined a generous wooden table to the working island, allowing cooking, conversation, and dining to occupy the same piece of furniture.
The island provides ample room for preparation, while an adjoining wall keeps utensils, ingredients, and appliances close at hand; in newer configurations, pocket doors reveal further work areas before closing them away again. Materials and fittings have developed over the years, including an Up&Down table that changes height, yet the original arrangement still feels current because it gives those gathering around a meal as much consideration as the person preparing it.
A guest can sit close enough to talk without getting under the cook’s feet, and a finished dish has only a short journey across the island.
