India, a predominantly vegetarian country, has a unique approach to refrigerator storage. In the context of refrigerators predominantly designed in Europe or the USA and sold in India, there is a market of refrigerators designed to accommodate Indian needs: vegetarian lifestyle, cuisine, and storage methods of the region.
The project involved conducting Qualitative Research and conceptualising a prototype specifically tailored to the diverse requirements of the Indian market. Key problem areas to focus were:
The final design was a conceptual model and a physical prototype designed in three key areas: 1) Vegetable Basket 2) Shelving 3)Door Buckets. The panels were designed keeping in mind the quick everyday storage items (lemons, tomatoes, ginger, chilly). Additionally, the first shelf being the most used, the new design uses the under-utilised ceiling shelf.
Team: Nirja Shah
Mentor: Manas Barve
It's a common sight in an Indian household to see lemons kept in an egg tray, veggies overflowing in the veggie compartment, and peas stored in the deep-freeze. While this is a “make-shift” for how Indians adapt to a fridge designed for the Western user, this project is to study vernacular habits of an Indian user across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.
Insights from 25 Women across Tier 1 and Tier 2 Cities Unveil Popular Refrigerator Staples and Influencing Cultural Factors. Tomatoes, chillies, lemon, and cucumber are the most commonly used items in fridges across India. Increase in working women, nuclear families, and religious festivals also influence storage and cooking habits in kitchens
“Due to the extreme summers in my city, we store lotions, lipsticks and medicines in the fridge as they need to be stored in a cool dry place”
"We have guests home time to time. This leads to re-arranging the shelves and keeping a tab of leftover foods.”
"I (mother) take the help of our house-help in the small tasks.”