George
Wood
Work
Bulthaup produces a precisely engineered system of cabinetry characterized by a clean lines and planes - accenting a modular appearance. Bulthaup cabinetry is functionally and aesthetically distinctive. The technical specifications are exacting, the installation guide is a thick stack of dense details. In fact, the 'systems' are installed by certified Bulthaup installation specialists.
Such an installation requires the containing room to be built to exacting dimensional tolerances, and structural requirements that are more stringent that most residential construction. The project is further complicated in that the target space has to be prepared and available when the Bulthaup installers have been scheduled, generally 
months in advance. Anyone familiar with construction schedules can surely see the challenge of such a constraint. Needless to say, missing the installation window is a costly error.
This particular kitchen overlooked the forest of Rock Creek Park in Washington D.C. The room space is nearly 40 feet in length and the end facing the forest was fitted with a floor to ceiling glass wall. The finished kitchen is approximately 900 square feet.
This project took nine months, and a busy nine months it was. The existing kitchen had to be dismantled and removed. Additional structural enhancements were required. The removal of interior walls required that a steel beam to be pushed into the ceiling to carry the floor above. 
Similarly, the exterior wall overlooking the park forest required the insertion of a steel lintel to carry the two stories of brick veneer above the glass wall. A careful process of securing a temporary lintel into the brick veneer, a temporary wall inside to support the upper floors and then, the exterior wall could be removed. Another large beam had to be pushed up into the floor plane above, and the finish lintel installed. Only then could the floor to ceiling glazed units be safely installed.
Nearly every plane in the room needed to be true to an unusual degree, and strong enough to support the two refrigerators that would literally hang on the wall. This project required more than a few long days and weekends to keep on schedule. Thankfully, we were ready and the installation proceeded smoothly, completing on time.
the art of
problem
solving