Contemporary Kitchen Design in Urban Multifamily Housing in Korea

Abstract

Since the first modern multifamily housing appeared in Korea during the 1960s, kitchens and their associated dining spaces have experienced tremendous changes. Before this time the kitchen primarily functioned as a space for cooking-related activities. However, Korean society has continuously developed during the past four decades and kitchen design has evolved to meet new consumer demands and accommodate a growing number of activities. The purpose of this study was to explore current design characteristics of kitchen spaces in Korean urban multifamily housing. Floor plans and interior design images of 207 multifamily housing unit types were collected from Web-based marketing catalogs provided by constiiACtion companies. This study investigated design characteristics that included interior design themes, materials, colors, space planning, and applied items. Analysis of the data revealed that strong drives for new kitchen design in Korea were increasing awareness of environments and healthy lifestyles as well as desires to fully utilize advanced technology and products for safety and convenience.