Oasi: a tree in the kitchen

Presented at EuroCucina, Oasi is the new project of ARAN Cucine, resulting from the collaboration between the company based in Abruzzo and the architect Stefano Boeri.

Oasi is much more than a functional furnishing element: an innovative concept, a unique and essential kitchen unit/dining area including all the features of a convivial place.

A fruit tree is the structural and symbolic center of the project, a reference point around which a network of family relationships can gather, as well as the stylistic signature of the famous designer. The tree, the table and the hob are therefore a single object capable of evoking stories, anecdotes, shared memories and culinary secrets.

Oasis includes all the stages of food processing: conservation, washing, preparation, cooking, service, consumption, recycling. Following the ‘principle of circularity’ to allow the correct sequence of making, the freestanding unit with a square system is developed as an articulated technological device containing storages and appliances (refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, compactor for the recycling of waste). Moreover, a simple mechanism allows the sliding of two 'wings' on the two symmetrical sides of the kitchen unit, which turns into a dining table.

The careful selection of materials and appliances is linked to the environmental awareness, an important theme for both ARAN Cucine and the architect Stefano Boeri. The top of Oasi is in fact made of solid surface, a very resistant material and reliable over time; for the doors of the kitchen unit a completely natural wood was chosen, which is the result of the recovery of original Venetian mooring posts, symbolizing the tradition and the craftsmanship of ARAN Kitchens.

Besides craftsmanship, over the years, the company has achieved a high industrial expertise, inserting a trash compactor in Oasi to experiment the minimization of the size and amount of waste before its disposal, with a substantial benefit for the environment.