Adaptable House

Ease of Use, Rest and Recovery: A Kitchen Mobility System

Because Multiple Sclerosis can cause day-to-day changes in physical capability, the sponsor needed a kitchen support system that could better accommodate mobility, stretching, and rest during routine meal preparation. The project developed a design concept for integrated kitchen assistance features intended to support activities such as accessing storage and refrigeration, washing and food preparation, cooking, cleaning, and waste disposal, while also providing immediate opportunities for resting and stretching. The concept considered overhead, wall-, counter-, and floor-supported elements, including fixed, pivoting, and movable configurations, to improve support and ease of use across a range of kitchen tasks. This work established an engineered foundation for future first-run prototyping of a more accessible kitchen environment.