Achieving 'Kitchen Perfection' with Fisher & Paykel
Written by
07 March 2024
•
4 min read
A central and vital hub of everybody’s home - the kitchen is where all the magic happens, so finding your perfect appliances is crucial.
Founded 1934 in New Zealand, Fisher & Paykel started as an importer of appliances before transitioning into manufacturing. Over the years, the company has expanded its product line to include a wide range of home appliances that boast a perfect balance of aesthetics and functionality, consistently delivering groundbreaking designs that seamlessly co-exist, thus creating a perfectly utopic cooking area. Today, we know Fisher & Paykel to be a pillar in the innovation of home appliances.
We believe that form and function are not mutually exclusive.
We dive into a conversation with EVP of Design & Brand of Fisher & Paykel, Mark Elmore, on their design process that has helped achieve their household name status. We discuss everything from inspiration sources to priorities throughout product innovations and their new, immersive Auckland Experience Centre.
“At Fisher & Paykel, we are deeply rooted in Aotearoa, New Zealand, with our nation renowned for its stunning natural beauty and appreciation for craftsmanship. This has shaped our design philosophy from the very beginning. We believe that appliances shouldn't just be functional but also beautiful objects that complement and enhance the heart of your home - the kitchen,” says Mark.
A delicate balance of functionality and aesthetics is the archetypal way of Fisher & Paykel. Honing in on smart technology to enhance daily experiences in the kitchen through thoughtful and purposeful design, each piece is carefully curated to suit everyday needs. Inspiration is found through a deeper understanding of people, then implemented into their design to promise a simple and (very) practical experience each time you step into the kitchen.
“We conduct extensive research and collaborate with leading architects and designers to understand the needs and aspirations of our customers. Our design process starts with the core performance needs of the appliance. We then work tirelessly to find an aesthetic that complements that function, ensuring it doesn't compromise usability. We prioritise features that make life easier, such as intuitive controls, ergonomic design, and seamless integration. Ultimately, we aim to create appliances that are beautiful to look at and a joy to use.”
What priorities do you take into each design process?
At the heart of every design process at Fisher & Paykel lies a deep commitment to kitchen perfection. What we cook, the number of cooks, and who we cook for affect how we design kitchens. Rather than considering what appliances you need and where they should go in your kitchen, we think it's best to ask a fundamental question: "How do you live?" Better yet, "How do you want to live?"
By understanding use patterns, we can plan and configure the kitchen to fit our lives perfectly.
Through these insights, we design products according to three principles:
Ultimate Kitchen Solutions
To create the perfect meal, you need a suite of products working seamlessly together to create a beautiful kitchen experience. We construct cooking and cooling solutions that respect ingredients through mastery of temperature. Exceptional dishwashing and ventilation solutions for perfect results every time.
The Beauty of Choice
The Beauty of Choice is the ability to choose the perfect product style and integration option to complement your kitchen aesthetic – for complete functionality without compromising design.
Design Freedom
Design Freedom lets you plan beyond the work triangle, customise a kitchen layout to exactly suit how you live, and personalise design details to achieve a highly considered, bespoke design.
The Auckland Experience Centre...
The Auckland Experience Centre is a symbolic home for the brand and a must-visit for homeowners, architects, builders, and anyone who enjoys beautiful things. Through this space, Fisher & Paykel conveys where they come from and the qualities and characteristics that shape their design philosophy - the Experience Centre is a canvas to articulate how the brand's origin influences and drives product design.
Beyond functionality, the experience centre is a physical embodiment of the brand's style and deep connection to its roots in New Zealand, all the way down to the black sand-infused wall coverings and recycled tõtara timber floors.
“I would invite anyone with an affinity for design to our Auckland Experience Centre. It truly is a space that we are so proud of – a space that captures the essence of ‘Designed in Aotearoa, New Zealand.’ Here you can explore the potential of our appliance solutions in immersive luxury settings and book a curated, chef–led culinary experience to see and taste how insight–led design can support the creation of Kitchen Perfection in the heart of your home.”
Discover more about Fisher & Paykel on ArchiPro.