Close-upGlobal coolingClassic: western refrigerators reflect cultural differencessuch as larger vegetable <strong>com</strong>partments for Italians.Low tech: the so-called Mitticool refrigerator fromIndia is made from a special clay. Water keeps it cool.Luxury: this model <strong>com</strong>bines a sophisticated fridgewith a state-of-the-art coffee-making system.Keeping food fresh for longer has been ahuman concern for thousands of years. Thereis evidence from 6050 BC that Neolithicpeople were boiling water to extract salt,which was then used to conserve food – especiallymeat. Much later, Romans, Greeks,and Hebrews would dig storage pits into theground, fill them with snow, and insulatethem with wood and straw.Nowadays, electric refrigeration is a widespread<strong>com</strong>modity, at least in developedcountries. But, as the fridge is a primaryelectrical appliance of the cultural cornerstoneof every house – the kitchen – it <strong>com</strong>esas no surprise that regional and cultural variationhave had an effect on design. A fewstereotypes to begin with: the meat-rich dietof the Germans requires bigger meat andfish <strong>com</strong>partments; the vegetable-loving Italianswant separate storage space; and feudsbetween omnivores and vegetarians in Indianfamilies can be appeased with internalseals to stop smells mingling.Cuisine differences aren’t the only factors:level of in<strong>com</strong>e and development play a roletoo. For example, the difference in averagein<strong>com</strong>es between an American and an Indianfamily is reflected in the latter’s preferencefor smaller, simpler, and cheaper fridges.Similarly, electricity supply is much less reliablein some developing countries: the Chineselike a fridge with an automatic resetfunction that kicks in after a power cut. Or,better yet, a very sustainable electricity-freefridge that uses solar power and evaporationwill be providing a much-needed low-costbasic solution in poorer countries, wheremany cannot afford and cannot access reliableelectricity supplies.Practicality aside, some <strong>com</strong>panies have beenhaving fun turning the fridge from unexcitingappliance to statement of luxury. ASwedish manufacturer has substituted theclassic American fridge feature, the waterdispenser, with a beer dispenser. Others haveaddressed the western morning-coffee-drinkingculture by incorporating a coffeemaker,instantly ousting the kettle from the kitchen.And to serve the internet-fanatic, some allowyou to check your e-mails on the <strong>com</strong>puterin your fridge door.FactBox“Cool” inventorsOliver Evans is generally thought of as the inventorof the modern refrigerator. But, thoughhe did design the first refrigeration machine in1805 to run on vapor and not liquid, as modernfridges do, he never built a prototype. JacobPerkins extended on his work when in 1834 hemade in-home refrigeration a reality with theinvention of the cooling <strong>com</strong>pression systemJapanese inventors are pushing the boundariesof household domestics with their transparentfridges allowing you to visualize all your groceries.Their double-door fridges, on the otherhand, let you get to your food from any angleEmily Cummins was named one of the “Womenof the year” 2007 thanks to her sustainablefridge invention inspired during her time in Namibia.It uses solar power to keep medicine andother small items cool64 <strong>expand</strong> 01/2011
Publisher<strong>DKSH</strong> Holding Ltd.Wiesenstrasse 8P.O. Box 8888034 ZurichSwitzerlandPhone +41 44 386 7272Fax +41 44 386 7282<strong>com</strong>munications@dksh.<strong>com</strong>Editorial and designInfel AG, ZurichLithographyZürichsee Druckerei AG, StäfaPrintFO-Fotorotar, Egg/ZHPicture credits<strong>DKSH</strong>: 1, 3, 8, 11, 12, 13, 16,41, 48, 49, 54, 55, 56Diethelm Keller Holding: 58, 59Dominik Orth: 25, 33, 42, 45,46, 48, 49, 51, 55John Kraus: 22, 24, 26Avenue Images: 6GettyImages: 31iStockphoto.<strong>com</strong>: 19, 21, 29,62, 63Keystone: 34Laif: 30, 37, 38Mitticool, Samsung ElectronicsGmbH, Whirlpool: 64
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