Hi all,
I’ve designed a cooktop that is curvy in plan – and now am faced with the challenge of venting it. A hood would be an option but the kitchen is under a very high ceiling, so it would be impractical and not terribly graceful.
What I’d like to find or create is a convex curved downdraft vent like the Thermidor, perhaps, maybe 3′ long and bent at a gentle radius.
Has anyone either a) seen such a thing for sale or b) made a custom downdraft vent?
All suggestions would be most welcome.
Happy holidays!
Heather Johnston
PLACE architects, Seattle WA
Replies
You might want to go over to the Cooks Talk forum and search there. I've seen quite a few discussions of range hoods there.
One thing to be aware of if your cooktop is gas is that a downdraft system with enough flow to be effective can perturb the flames on the burners nearest the vent.
I've seen some very dramatic hoods mounted from high ceilings.
Hi Heather, welcome to Breaktime. I took a look at your web site and you've realized some very beautiful designs. Judging from a few of your awards and featured articles I'd say I'm not the first to notice. I hope you will stick around and contribute some of that expertise.
I don't know of an off the shelf downdraft like you describe but I'm sure there are fabricators in your area that would love to get their hands on something creative for a change. If not, there is a fabricator in Austin Texas that specializes in vent hoods that might be just what you are looking for. Here is their web site http://handcraftedmetal.com/.
It might help with the feedback if you could post a sketch of your design. To tell you the truth, I'd like to see it whether it helps feedback or not.
Kevin Halliburton
"I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity." - I.M. Pei -
Edited 12/22/2003 1:16:12 PM ET by Wrecked Angle
Thanks Kevin, I'll follow up on these ideas!
(When I can figure out how to post a sketch I will - just joined the discussion so I haven't tried that yet.)
Heather
Posting a file is pretty easy. Click on the "attach files" just under the box where you are composing your message. In the dialog box that pops up "browse" to locate your file then click "upload." WAIT UNTIL THE NAME OF THE FILE APPEARS ON THE SCREEN (Please excuse the bold print but that is the step nearly everyone, including me, misses on their first few attempts). Once you see the file name pop up on the screen just click "done" and post away.Kevin Halliburton
"I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity." - I.M. Pei -
Is this the Thermador you want to emulate?
http://www.thermador.com/product.cfm?product_id=461
Kevin Halliburton
"I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity." - I.M. Pei -
yes! Thanks.
Now for the curve....
What type of cook top are you planning to use? Are you using an off the shelf cook top and setting it in a swoopy top or are you actually building the cooktop from separate components?
If you are going with a version off the shelf have you thought about using one with an integral downdraft vent where the grill sits between the burners like this? http://www.us-appliance.com/cve330deslin.html
It's not as sexy as a swoopy curved custom pop-up would be but it saves a serious chunk of the budget for something that will get more attention.Kevin Halliburton
"I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity." - I.M. Pei -
We're planning to set the burners into a concrete countertop. The owner really doesn't like squares.
Hi Heather,
You can buy the guts of the system no problem ....... Just supply the stock unit to a good custom metal fabricator cw shape templates
Time & resources ( $ ) will accomlish any taskOn a hill by the harbour
I like those kind of owners... Concrete was made for projects like this! The dynamics of the whole system still might be simplified if you used the non-pop up version of downdraft and just have the vent slots slink around between the burners.
Another idea might be to cast a pattern of open slots directly into the countertop around the burners then build a large collection box with a filter underneath that would suck air through the slots into the duct. The collector and filter would have to be removable for cleaning of course, and the slots would require some attention with a baby bottle brush from time to time to keep them clean, but it would look oh so nice.
Either way, I would check around for custom car and motorcycle shops as well. They live for stuff like this! Just watch out for guys like Keith C (a regular poster here) or you'll get your fabrication back with a flame job painted on it. :-)>Kevin Halliburton
"I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity." - I.M. Pei -
You know, your mention of the word pop up just brought an image to mind.
Wouldn't it be cool if an extendable updraft hood could be designed so that it only comes out of the ceiling when the cooktop is on?
I can see it now....
Honey, I'll start cooking the soup now.
(Click, BrRReeeeeee, swOOOSH - with flames painted on the sides, of course) And once the cooktop is turned off, the object d'art retracts into the ceiling.Alms for acreage, alms for acreage. (attempt at shameless panhandling).
LOL - I like it! Of course, if you put a flame job on it you're going to have to soup it up enough to slurp that pan right off the stovetop when you kick it on.
In all seriousness, a drop down hood isn't a bad idea. I've seen a few that were conected with flex duct and a retracting cable system that did exactly what you described. Kevin Halliburton
"I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity." - I.M. Pei -