The Kitchen Layout - What is the Triangle & Why is it Important?

There have been phenomenal changes in the kitchen layout from the early smoke kitchens of the 18th century to the work kitchens of the 20th century. Kitchens have kept pace with other technological and social changes, thereby adapting to the shifting needs of society. Early experiments in creating efficient kitchens were aimed at reducing the time taken to cook and also minimizing costs. As kitchen equipment such as the stove or the range, the refrigerator, the microwave, oven, the sinks, furniture etc. became standardized, it became important for designers to ingeniously incorporate these items into a compact space.

Although interesting ideas cropped up all the way through the beginning of the 20th century, it was in 1944 that the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, School of Architecture, delved into this topic with some gusto. The research was aimed at standardizing practices, while at the same time it tried to give people an affordable kitchen. This is where the concept of the kitchen work triangle evolved and it remains a constant till today.

But modern kitchens have become more than a single person room with the woman of the house as its main character. Today kitchens are a space for family and friends to commune, children to do their homework and a melting pot for a party to spill into. Todays kitchens very often define a home, adding character and class.

So where does the triangle fit in and how does it improve work flow efficiency?

The idea behind the triangle hinges on the three main articles of use in a kitchen the stove or the work surface, the washing area and the refrigerator. This is based on the sound philosophy that a kitchen will primarily be used for storage, preparation and cooking food. The key to using the triangle efficiently is that the three activities should not interfere with each other and the distance between these utilities should not be too large so as to save time and energy. Ideally, the triangle should be kept free of obstacles for easy use.

The thumb rule is that the sides of the triangle should add up to between 12 and 26 feet at the most with the sink, the stove and the refrigerator at the three points of the triangle.

Whether your kitchen is L- shaped, U-shaped, Peninsular, a simple galley or one with an island, the work triangle can be easily accommodated. For example in a U-shaped kitchen, the range, the refrigerator and the washing area would be along the three sides of the U, forming a sort of acute angle.

The advantages of this work triangle are many. Apart from providing a clutter free environment, it minimizes work time and makes the process of cooking efficient. A kitchen without the triangle is like sitting in a car where the driver cannot reach the controls. The work triangle simply makes this area a productive and ergonomic environment suitable not just for cooking but also for the other activities that so often happen in the kitchen.