Monumental design statement with a smart touch

What a stunning silhouette! Resembling art more than a kitchen, this large brass block seems to float above the ground with its iconic curve. The sublime lines of this high-end designer kitchen are borrowed from Origami, the Asian art of folding paper – hence its name FOLD.

The gleaming, golden surfaces are made of tombac, an extremely hard and durable brass alloy. With this creation, Martin Steininger has managed to tame the archaic power of metal. “Character can be formed, but never bent,” is the motto of the internationally sought-after designer and architect from Austria.

Smart Touch with M.POD

Yet even more hides behind its extraordinary form. FOLD pairs purism and exquisite materiality with smart connectivity: the M.POD is a work surface and 32-inch touchpad that connects kitchen, home and internet. It is a digital cookbook, a shopping planner and the perfect entertainment centre. The specially hardened and optically bonded safety glass can withstand all of the demands of a kitchen countertop.

“My typical vision is clear, simple, unique. Sometimes, it has a bit of ‘salt and crumbles’: so some earthy and natural materials in order to highlight the contrast with the otherwise stern design. Orderliness is also very important to me.”


Martin Steininger
about DNA in kitchen design
Fold Designküche Steininger Designers Bar
Hob and bar open.

Award-winning design

It almost seems as though the mastermind behind Steininger.Designers has now created a monument with FOLD. Though it certainly would not be the only one  as his timeless architecture and luxurious design outlines have been celebrated by awards numerous times. Some of them have what it takes to become classics. The clientèle is international, consisting of industrialists, celebrities and music producers living in major cities such as Vienna, London, New York, Moscow and Dubai. The fan base continues to grow.

 

Despite the most modern means of production, Martin Steininger and his employees feel indebted to the artisan tradition of the family business; whether furniture, interior design or a smooth plaster wall in a new construction project, the final touches are always completed by hand and sometimes by the master himself.

Martin Steininger about Fold

Each of the unique, custom-made pieces are tailored to individual specifications and not a single piece goes out to a client before Martin Steininger has examined it thoroughly. In an interview, the perfectionist – who still draws his concept sketches on paper – talks to us about the creation of FOLD, where his passion for kitchens comes from, and what he has planned for the future.

 

 

Martin, how long have you been designing kitchens, and where does your passion for this come from?

“We presented our first model, the concrete kitchen PURE, in 2010. Creating a kitchen with all of its functionalities is a complex task. What was private is becoming ever more public as cooking and dining areas are increasingly merging together. This poses challenges that appeal to me as a designer, particularly as I also enjoy cooking. Another aspect is that I rarely have time for my family in the evenings. So why not combine our joy for cooking and good food together with what is useful and spend more time together? However, because there were no kitchens that fit my vision, I had to create one myself.”

 

 

What attracted you to this material and form?

“I am interested in precious materials. Tombac is a wonderful material. It takes on patina and so tells its own story. And then I wondered, how could this be formed? You can cut, tilt, fold and weld brass. This is exactly what we have done. It should look unique, whilst also remaining functional.”

 

 

How long did it take to get from the initial plans to the completed FOLD, what were the pitfalls?

“I’ve been carrying the idea around with me for a while. Then I had to let it mature in my head, before I first put pen to paper. It took approximately a year to get from planning, construction and detailed design to serial production. The polygonal surface, with its difficult edge trimmings at every angle and degree, was particularly challenging. Producing the FOLD perfectly and configuring it for individual needs is only possible with a computer. However, there is not a single kitchen that goes out without us having checked and improved it by hand.”

 

 

Steininger.Designers has reached another milestone with M.POD. How did this ambitious smart concept come about?

“The kitchen is the centre point and a place of communication. Cooking, discussions, drinking and partying all take place in the kitchen, where the best parties can be found. Eventually, handling crumbs and spilt milk on the iPad becomes tedious. This is why we created the M.POD. It is an intuitive touchpad and an indestructible work surface that defies kitchen dirt. M.POD has larger dimensions, is adapted for kitchen-related needs and is equipped with various entertainment apps. It is the central control room for the kitchen and the smart home, whether you want to read your favourite recipe, order food and ingredients online, or simply increase the volume of the music – all of this is possible. Integrated turntables turn the kitchen into a disco.”

 

What role does sustainability play in your manufacturing process?

“In my opinion, this starts with visual design. It should be timeless and high-quality so that the client is pleased for decades. This applies to everything, be it a kitchen, designer furniture or our architecture. We use materials and production techniques conscientiously. Anything that will not be used at a later point can be returned to the environment or recycled.”

 

 

Who is the FOLD intended for?

“People with a passion and a love for detail. People who like to be surrounded by aesthetic, high-quality and long-lasting things. This kitchen will enchant people who take delight in form and materiality.”

 

 

What do you have “folded away”, or planned?

“FOLD will soon be available in other metals and alloys. This will be exciting as each material has its own unique character. The FOLD BLACK, for example, in an alloy of black, patinised stainless steel. By the end of the year, we will be presenting this in our international showrooms. I already think that the FOLD is a classic!”

Fold Designküche Steininger Designers Martin Steininger

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