Molteni magazine | Design | 100 Years in the making of Kitchens

100 Years in the making of Kitchens

Francesca Molteni for M Magazine, April 2026

WHAT DO A PENTHOUSE ON LEONARD STREET IN MANHATTAN, A NEIGHBOURHOOD OF 56 VILLAS IN THE ANCIENT CITY OF SUZHOU IN CHINA, A VICTORIAN MANSION IN LONDON, A 150M TOWER IN THE HEART OF SHANGHAI, AND 375 NEW RESIDENCES AT NEW YORK’S WALDORF ASTORIA HAVE IN COMMON?

They are all exclusive spaces designed for extraordinary living, crafted with artisanal mastery, an obsession for detail, fine materials, and a distinctly Italian blend of creativity and technology – dreams conceived to stand the test of time. In this respect, they are much like the Molteni&C Kitchen collections that furnish them: bespoke, tailor-made solutions shaped by the expertise of Dada Engineered, the company division that stands as a hallmark of innovation in the world of kitchens.

Intersection Kitchen by Vincent Van Duysen

Details showcasing Molteni&C Kitchen’s technical mastery of marble

This is a story that spans a century, beginning in 1926, when Dada was founded as an artisan workshop in Marcallo, near Milan. Every stage of production took place in-house, driven by research, passion and craftsmanship, setting a benchmark in the world of kitchens. In 1979, Dada joined the Molteni&C universe, opening the door to new opportunities: advanced technologies, fresh synergies and visionary designers such as Luca Meda. The result was immediate – Dada established itself as a high-end brand in the kitchen sector.

1981, Coriandolo by Luca Meda

Over time, Dada’s offerings became increasingly flexible, modular, and adaptable. Vela, Nuvola, Banco, Tivalì, Hi-Line, Set, Trim – iconic designs that provided a wide range of choices to suit different tastes, trends and needs. Dada also expanded onto the international stage. Sir Norman Foster selected it for the residences at Albion Wharf in Battersea, for which he designed Place, a kitchen tailored specifically for London living. Giorgio Armani chose Dada for the towers he furnished around the world, leading to the creation of the Armani | Dada brand. Herzog & de Meuron reimagined the Manhattan skyline and commissioned Dada for the 145 kitchens at Leonard Street.

One of the custom-made kitchens at 56 Leonard Street in New York, based on a design by Herzog & de Meuron, featuring black islands with original granite countertops

56 Leonard Street, New York

These are not just kitchens, but integrated systems concealing advanced technologies. The rotating column, developed by R&D, is a pantry with remarkable storage capacity. The kitchen becomes a laboratory for ideas, projects and materials. It begins with good ingredients – the rest is alchemy, experimentation and practice. There is no perfect recipe; everyone brings something of their own. In this sense, the kitchen is much like Italy itself, a country in transformation, yet with a few core principles that lie at its heart – the centrality of family, and the importance of providing a place for sharing.
In the early 1990s, Dada delivered the operational column, featuring the patented Fold&Slide opening system that makes everything accessible. The kitchen evolved into a true workstation. Precision and hyper-specialisation took centre stage, and Dada became Molteni&C Kitchen – the cutting edge of production.

A custom Molteni&C Kitchen at Jean Nouvel’s 53 West 53 tower in New York

A custom Molteni&C Kitchen at The West Hollywood EDITION, designed by John Pawson using a sophisticated selection of quality materials and details

Then, in the 2000s, another leap forward: Vincent Van Duysen, creative director of Molteni&C, introduced monolithic volumes, rigorous proportions, and tactile surfaces with VVD and Ratio.

Ratio Kitchen by Vincent Van Duysen

These were fully integrated kitchen systems – an architecture within architecture – balancing form and proportion in innovative ways. Van Duysen is also behind Physis, set to debut this year: a concept where base units, wall units and tall units share a unified construction logic and aesthetic. Soft, rounded lines shape fluid, continuous spaces. It is a vision designed to reach every corner of the world, redefining the codes and language of the kitchen – just as a century of history, and an unwavering commitment to quality, continues to demonstrate.

Physis Kitchen by Vincent Van Duysen

Continuing the Story

Gio Ponti: The House Above the City

Discover the history of Villa Planchart in Caracas, Venezuela, as we celebrate the Compasso d’Oro Career Award for Products for Gio Ponti’s D.154.2 armchair.

Gio Ponti, Adam Štěch for M Magazine

A Century of Beautiful Sound

A century of sound, design, and memory explored through an elegant reflection on acoustics as an emotional and architectural experience, in the enduring spirit of Bang & Olufsen.

Design, Lennart Wloka for M Magazine, Issue 19

Snøhetta’s Nature of Technology

Waiting rooms in offices rarely inspire warmth. Built to accommodate brief interludes – your daily entry and exit, ten nervous minutes before an interview, five seconds before your next meeting – these liminal zones often fall victim to sparse, soulless decoration and poor-quality furniture.

Design, Phoebe Long for M Magazine