What does your kitchen do for you?

I’m Jessica and I’m a Senior Innovation Associate here at NICA. I lead on the development of our multigenerational, intelligent kitchen which is currently in The Catalyst.

Design is about solving problems and few are as pressing as the demand for domestic space. We are living longer, house prices are high, and land is scarce, putting new pressures on how we live. One solution is the multigenerational home. Although challenging, bringing together different generations under one roof creates fantastic opportunities for innovation and new design!

Since 2017, NICA has facilitated the work of experts: leading designer Johnny Grey and Professor of Practice in Ageing and Vitality Peter Gore, who have worked with VOICE members to create a truly unique, aspirational kitchen for the whole family. Together, we have created a prototype kitchen which will meet the needs of my friend caring for her young daughter, your relative with dementia and everyone in-between. “The kitchen must be functional, it should be aesthetically pleasing but most importantly it must be a safe environment for all who reside in it”.

Our kitchen provides all of the above in abundance and I am yet to meet someone who has seen the design, understood the intelligent tech supporting its functionality, and hasn’t said ‘I want one of those’ – myself included!

So come to The Catalyst, immerse yourself in our multigenerational kitchen environment and support NICA to change the way we think about design. Not just design for ‘older people’ but aspirational, functional design for us all, across the life course, and for the whole family today!