Page 14 - Designing Ways 285

KSA

KSA update, December 2024.

ovember heralds the announce- to be constrained with their budget
ment of the winners of the KSA’s as they were still providing for their
Nstudent kitchen design project. granddaughter and great grandchild.
2024 was the fourth year of this fantastic As such they wanted a two-tone kitchen materials and products for that client’s
collaboration with the IID and eighteen either in melamine or wrap. As the home budget and needs. They also had to show
tertiary campuses throughout the country. was an older 1960s home the kitchen was a good understanding of standard sizing
This year the students has two briefs a contained kitchen – not open-plan and in the kitchen industry by giving us clear
to work from. The first was designing the students were not allowed to change carcass sizing on their plans. Renders and
for a couple moving from Gauteng to the this. This gave the challenge of making elevations had to be of a high standard as
Western Cape for their retirement into a the contained space work well giving did the mood board, and the students had
new build in a gated retirement community. enough storage and worksurface without to show a rudimentary understanding of
Here the specifications were for high end overcrowding the space. The design how to cost a job. The top five and special
finishes with a generous budget. Students also had to be workable for the elderly mention students were those that excelled
had to consider good use of space ensuring grandparents and their challenges as they across the board in the project and not
that there was ample storage as well as get older as well as a safe and interactive just in one or two areas.
opportunities for the client to display her space for the great grandchild. Every student whose project was
crystal and china. They had to consider The purpose of this project is to try and submitted to us received detailed input
that this would be the couple’s last kitchen give the students a taste of what it is like from the KSA as feedback that will
and would have to take them through the to be a kitchen designer in the real world. hopefully help to highlight where they
ageing process. Thought had to be given to For that reason, the project is about more went wrong and what they could have
future mobility limitation and the possible than just aesthetics. Ergonomics and done differently. Our aim is to try and
effects of poor sight and arthritis. functionality are key, and the students had encourage the students to consider
The second brief was for a multi- to show a clear understanding of materials kitchen design as a future career path.
generational family in Diepkloof Soweto. and their application as well as selecting The top five and overall special mention
The clients in this scenario had opted the appropriate quality and brands of students were all offered internship

Robyn Karstens

Cindy MCKenzi

14 Issue 285 • dw