Ahead of Its Time: 1976 Vintage Video Reveals Futuristic Kitchen Design Concept

Technology is advancing at a mind-boggling speed. Every day, we encounter a brand-new product that changes our lives. Things we once thought were impossible can, after a while, become our new normal. Each of us has made predictions about what kind of technologies await us in the future. Especially watching productions that focus on the technologies of the future can sometimes create surprise, and at other times, disappointment.

A video that was broadcast by the BBC in 1976, showcasing the vision of the smart kitchen of 2020, has been reshared on social media. In the video, the host prepares a step-by-step Christmas meal with orange-colored, curved-line devices that reflect the space-age design concept of the time. From programmable smart ovens to refrigerators, all the details in the video laid bare the imagination and expectations of the people in the 1970s about future 'smart home' technologies.

Upon examining the details in the video, the first striking feature is the space-saving modular and cylindrical structure. A dishwasher, microwave oven, a large double-door refrigerator, extra cabinet spaces, and a dual cooking unit are all packed into a single cylinder that's approximately 1.5 meters. Because this cylindrical unit can rotate around its axis, the person cooking can access the item or cooking area they need with a single push without even moving from their spot. But it doesn't stop there, thanks to ceiling-integrated rotating storage units and automatic plastic dispensers, every type of material from sugar to dried peas is at hand.

The most mesmerizing part of the video, however, is the information storage unit in the kitchen, or today's artificial intelligence. This system, which can guide even someone who has no idea how to cook, offers menu suggestions, prepares automatic shopping lists, and provides step-by-step cooking instructions. When the person enters how many people they will prepare food for, the computer calculates the ingredients and sets a timer, tracking the exact moment the meal will be served. We can do this today with some applications or artificial intelligence.

Looking at where we are today, it appears that some predictions are close to reality. Smart refrigerators, programmable ovens, and kitchen robots that operate with voice commands are now a part of daily life, but the idea of preparing an entire table with the push of a single button, as shown in the video, is still a dream on the edge of science fiction.