Vario Cooling 200 Series:
A study in lightness and elegance

Redefining the perception of cooling appliances on a volume manufacturing platform with a modular toolkit

Positioned below the Vario Cooling 400 Series and featuring the classic European built-in dimensions, Gaggenau is offering the modular Vario Cooling 200 Series. The product range includes refrigerators with and without internal freezer compartment, freezers, wine coolers and fridge/freezer combinations.
This project was conceived as a vision range for the relaunch of the products on a European high-volume manufacturing platform shared with other BSH brands such as Neff, Siemens and Bosch. Therefore, the project took place within a limited boundary and had to use the main technical components from the already existing platform.

The interior is characterized by warm colours, indirect light and the luxurious use of anodized aluminium, SAN plastic and light maple wood. User research showed that perceived volume and flexibility during usage were the two main aspects of buying decision for 60cm built-in appliances. And while the volume is optically enlarged by the cove lighting and the transparent materials, the glass shelves and door bins feature a new synchronised rail system, that allows for easy and stepless height adjustment even with loaded shelves and bins. While several of these innovations have been assigned patents, some features like the 5mm thick transparent plastic parts without any draft angle have already been successfully implemented in serial production within the BSH group.

 

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Photography: Gerhardt Kellermann

© Gaggenau Hausgeräte GmbH