Sub-Zero
The Process
Discover
Already an industry-leader in refrigeration solutions for over 80 years, Sub-Zero intentionally uses each new generation to set the new standard in refrigeration. As a result, our product design and development process with Sub-Zero was extremely interactive. Flexibility and optionality were paramount: the refrigerators needed to be able to fit seamlessly and beautifully into any space and style. We started by conducting multiple consumer focus group sessions to identify user pain points; this data sparked the creative solutions and enhanced user features our design team developed.
Design
Armed with the data collected from our focus groups, we developed ideas—starting with hand sketches to generate as many valid concepts as quickly as possible—for a full line of configurable refrigeration units.
As the new product design progressed, our industrial designers created 3D CAD geometry to further validate aesthetic and functional design options. At the same time, we also evaluated each concept to ensure maximum ergonomics to ensure easy access to storage items and features. We ultimately developed designs for about 160 SKUs made up of four sizes, multiple finish and feature options, and four configurations:
Columns have a single door for a big, bold look.
Over-unders have an external drawer for unique ease of access to the freezer compartment.
Side by Sides provide more freezer space and internal and external ice and water dispensers.
French Door units—including an industry-first 48” French Door model—are equipped with smaller doors to improve traffic flow in some kitchens.
To round out the line, each units stands 84" tall and comes in four widths (30”, 36”, 42” & 48”). Every size unit was laid out with parts and assemblies in SolidWorks and shared with Sub-Zero for review and engineering.
Deliver
To perpetuate Sub-Zero’s classic look on the outside, units feature Sub-Zero’s (1) distinctive commercial-looking grill at the top of the unit and wide expanses of stainless steel, (2) windowed doors, or (3) either classic stainless steel or custom panels for the panel-ready doors.
The interior was designed with the idea of improving visibility of food in the interior. We used a combination of clear, nano-coated glass and Clearsight™ LED lighting under each shelf and in each crisper to reduce shadows and improve visibility into every nook and cranny, while sleek stainless-steel accents match the sophisticated exterior styling.
The end result: refrigerators that remain icons of both style and performance, retaining Sub-Zero’s classic cool-as-ice aesthetic while incorporating the hottest new features for users.
Sub-Zero
Classic Series
Sub-Zero pioneered built-in refrigeration decades ago, providing consumers the ability to hide or feature the refrigerator and with either option get a more integrated look. The new Classic Series is the latest in a long tradition of built-in refrigeration.
Teaming with Sub-Zero's engineering and executive teams, our industrial designers created this brand-new, award-winning line of built-in refrigerators. Our principal goals were two-fold: perpetuate Sub-Zero’s tradition of customizable built-in exteriors with timeless and beautiful aesthetic on the outside while giving users the coolest modern conveniences on the inside. The result: an unbeatably stylish way to preserve food that fits seamlessly into any kitchen, equipped with inventive and user-centric features like:
Customizable exterior with low-profile hinges for better concealment behind the wood panels.
Interior adorned with stainless steel accent pieces for a more contemporary look.
The industry’s first flip-up dairy compartment floor, allowing for conversion to fit tall bottles on shelf below the dairy.
Expanded visibility crispers with pass-through handles.
A high-tech LCD touch screen control panel.
Exclusive interior ice and water dispenser to free up design flexibility to the exterior.
Slow-close dairy door for a more luxurious experience.
Clearsight™ LED Lighting to illuminate the shelf immediately below.
Night Mode adjusts the interior lighting so as not to overwhelm the user in a dark kitchen.
Expandable freezer basket allows for taller items to be stored in the lower drawer.
Some images compliments of Sub-Zero Group
