Platform about design and technology in the kitchen, home, and bathroom industry
South Korean manufacturer SKS’s participation in Milan Design Week felt very much like a major home game. Its own showroom in the city—the very first SKS has ever opened in Europe—was bustling with activity, and SKS’s booth at the exhibition halls was also a crowd-pleaser. At the same time, the company celebrated the 30th anniversary of LG Electronics’ presence in Italy—the group to which SKS belongs.
SKS, in collaboration with LG, transformed its showroom on Via Manzoni into a thematic installation. With “Feeding the Future,” both companies sought to explore how technology can be a practical tool in the fight against food waste. The outdoor gallery focused on the life cycle of food and also showcased sustainable practices for storing and using food. These principles were put into practice right away in the showroom itself, as well as at the trade show booth a few kilometers away.
In SKS’s line of refrigeration appliances, we find recent and new products that focus on spatial flexibility and versatility—strong technological advantages that also play a significant role in the fight against (food) waste. The under-counter convertible refrigerator is a great example of this. The appliance features two drawers, each with its own adjustable temperature setting. The upper drawer offers five temperature settings ranging from -3 °C to 10 °C, while the lower drawer can also be converted into a freezer. This drawer has six temperature settings ranging from -23 °C to 10 °C. “This appliance is exceptionally versatile for storing both food and beverages at the ideal temperature,” confirms Wouter van den Boogaard of American Appliances, the exclusive importer of SKS in the Netherlands.
Optimal wine storage is the focus of the under-counter wine climate cabinet. “That’s what Wine Cave Technology™ ensures,” says Van den Boogaard. “It offers maximum protection against factors that can affect the quality of the wine, such as light, vibrations, and fluctuations in temperature and humidity.” The wine cabinet has a capacity of 41 bottles across two zones, each with independently adjustable temperature and humidity settings. Each zone has its own evaporator and a stainless-steel partition. Van den Boogaard: “All SKS appliances, including these two, are Wi-Fi-ready and compatible with the LG ThinQ app. Remote control, activation, and monitoring are possible. The Smart Diagnosis system allows users to check performance and detect any issues simply by holding a mobile device near the refrigerator or wine climate cabinet.”
A striking newcomer at SKS: the Tracce collection. This special series, developed in collaboration with Abet Laminati, transforms the surfaces of a wine climate cabinet and a convertible refrigerator into true works of art. “A tribute to some of the great masters of Milanese design,” adds Van den Boogaard. “The graphic designs—Bacterio by Ettore Sottsass, Digital Circus by Alessandro Mendini, and Misura by the Superstudio collective—shone in various color variations. Technology and aesthetics merge into a new kind of language in which every surface is transformed into a creative statement and a central element in the living space, even outside the kitchen.”
