Coffee Machine
Description
The coffee machine is a simple yet essential part of our everyday life. In our fast-paced work environment, it symbolizes attentiveness and focus while also representing (active) breaks, informal conversations, workplace movement, and spontaneous encounters. When carefully chosen for its quality and intentionally staged—whether through the striking professional design of the machine itself or its placement on a sleek, mobile stainless steel trolley—these moments gain greater significance. More than just a functional device providing sustenance, the coffee machine becomes a place-making element, fostering interaction and connection: a space where students and staff connect, where peers from different studios meet, take breaks together, serve one another, and cultivate a sense of care by keeping the area tidy, well-maintained, and regularly cleaned.
How to Use
The coffee machine can play a central role, especially in first encounters or when starting the morning together. Whether through an assigned barista role or a more spontaneous approach, the day’s program begins with an informal focus on providing everyone with a hot drink. This simple act helps people settle in, creating an inviting entry point for engagement and a natural way to ease into complex discussions and interactions. Serving one another and exchanging coffee preferences effortlessly spark conversation. As an active break or daily ritual, the coffee moment also enlivens the space—the hum of the grinder and the hissing of the portafilter machine create a lively backdrop loosening up rigid situations, making the atmosphere more dynamic and diverting.
Credits
[Date] Fall 2019
[Place] Design in Dialogue Lab ETH Zürich
[Design] Monroc
[Material] Stainless steel
[Size] 70cm x 40 cm x 50cm
[Contributors] Ben Pohl, KBZ Gastronomie-Einrichtungs AG