UBS Monocle
Designing a world of possibilities
Stefan Senn
Founder, TinyKüche
The driving force behind Stefan Senn’s designs has always been what the carpenter has been missing in his own life – and the realisation that others might be in need of those things too. TinyKüche, his new petite-but-complete modular kitchen system, is the latest such nook filler.
“My great-grandfather, grandfather and father were all cabinet-makers but they all came to it themselves,” says Senn. “My father went into restoring antiques and so I felt as though I already had a museum at home. I was more interested in nice, clean design – and I still am.”
TinyKüche started about a year ago when Senn needed a compact kitchen. “I couldn’t find it, so I made it,” he says. Despite the wealth of kitchens on the market, the designer felt that none was suited to a small space. Unwilling to sacrifice any of the amenities of a larger kitchen, he set about fitting everything that he could into the smallest arrangement possible. The outcome is a world-first object. “There was lots of trial and error along the way,” says Senn. “Our first sink was so small that it didn’t fit a dish.”
TinyKüche demonstrates the immense possibilities that wood provides for original design. “It’s a privilege to work with the material,” says Senn. “It brings me so much happiness. Apart from build a rocket to the moon, you can really do anything with it.”
Take a behind-the-scenes visit to Senn’s workshop overlooking the Rhine. Visit St Alban-Vorstadt 15, 4052 Basel
