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Project

Preservation of Belgian interior heritage. Rational interwar kitchens: concept, construction and conservation (FWOSB120)

The international rationalisation of the kitchen in the interwar period
gave rise to current modern kitchen designs and these rational
interwar kitchens are still present in contemporary Belgium houses.
Nevertheless, their interior heritage value remains undervalued. This
ignorance causes them to be badly maintained and often replaced …
so they slowly disappear. The research therefore aims to provide
design strategies for correct preservation and integration of the
rational interwar kitchens in the 21st-century, and will in doing so
raise awareness of their important heritage value. The main research
question comprises three principal research objectives: defining the
concepts, construction and conservation of the Belgian interwar
kitchens. By firstly acquiring knowledge on their conceptual
development and characteristic construction features, the research
aims to create an unprecedented and much needed guideline for the
correct conservation and integration of these rational kitchens.
Thereby, the research is linked to the Strategic foresights of Flanders
2025 by providing sustainable alternatives to re-use this historical
furniture and limit material waste. This guide addresses architects,
heritage researchers, craftsmen, etc. As a result, the research’s
outcome will not only be bound to learning historical architecture, but
also to examining the integration and preservation of this interior
architecture in contemporary (and future) society for the very first
time.
Date:1 Nov 2021 →  25 Mar 2023
Keywords:Development and construction characteristics of Belgian rational interwar kitchens, Heritage preservation and design strategies: conservation of the Belgian fitted avant-garde kitchen, Transdisciplinary research: architecture, interior architecture, craftsmanship
Disciplines:Built heritage and renovation, Construction materials, Installation techniques