The contemporary kitchen

This will not be a comprehensive manual for kitchen design for sure but at least a glimpse of basics of contemporary kitchen design when functionality is prioritized over low costs and aesthetics:

• A sufficiently big sink is a must for comfortably hand-washing the dishes and washing large-sized utensils such as barbecue grill. A small sink with a garbage grinder to avoid a smelly storage of organic wastes is an appropriate complement. Adjustable shower mixer taps and pull-down/pull-out faucets are both convenient and spectacular. Use of a glass surface as splasher reduces cleaning time. 
• A large draining board is a plus. It can always be also used as ordinary countertop. 
• It is better to have plate racks and detergent hanging over the draining board rather than being located on them so that it becomes easier to keep the board clean and tidy. 
• Dish-washer should be placed at convenient working height and close to the draining board. 
• The best material for the countertop is laminate since it is durable and resistant to harm and moisture, is easy to replace and does not require much maintenance over time. 
• Stove should not be better placed into the cooking island so as to minimize spread of splashes and limit children's access. A metal edge for the stove top adds to its durability. 

• Non-open kitchens are more convenient in the sense that a door can well obstruct the noise of food processors. Nonetheless, open kitchens with wide islands are much trendier and even more functional these days considering simultaneous use of kitchen and living rooms as cooking and dining area. Cooking island can be even elevated on wheels to provide more flexibility in re-arrangement of interior space. 
• Upper cabinets should be better extended up to the ceiling to avoid accumulation of dust and dirt and also to provide extra storage space. 
• Unruffled wall surfaces are easier to clean and change when remodeling the kitchen compared with small-sized tiles. 
• Linoleum is resistant to moisture, dirt and fat and is thus a suitable choice for the floor. 
• An ample number of power outlets helps much.

Hagastaden

It took a number of decades for planners to face destructive consequences of urban sprawl e.g. excess of fuel consumption triggered by long-distance intercity motorways, inefficient and wasteful methods of energy distribution, segregation and associated social problems, fast pace of of deforestation, threat on wild life and accelerating consumption of natural resources. As a reaction, a large number of planning authorities around the world, specifically those in middle-sized cities where environmental measures have traditionally been substantial to decision-making procedures have recently headed towards densification and building inwards as a high planning priority.

The star-shaped city of Stockholm is in fact a very fitting example in this context with numerous plans for urban densification including reconstruction of brown- and grey fields, developing the city in the third dimension and utilizing unused lands close to the city center for construction of new districts. The ongoing urban project of Hagastaden is one example. 

By 2025, the area Norrastationsområde will be developed into a new district - Hagastaden including residences, parks, shopping premises, research centers and health facilities. Out of the total 96-ha land area allocated for the project, 30 percent is located in Stockholm municipality and the the rest in the neighboring Solna. 5000 new residential units and 36000 new workplaces will be constructed as part of the project and a number of motor- and railways including E4 and E20 will be placed into underground tunnels and pass beneath the district. The municipality of Stockholm will be responsible for a 10-billion-Swedish-Crown share out of the overall 50-billion expenditures including five billion Crowns for E4/E20 underground tunnels. Hagastaden is primarily characterized as a world-class research and innovation center for life science and health care. The New Karolinska Solna medical university and hospital (inauguration 2016) will be integrated to the project.

Sources:
http://insynsbk.stockholm.se/Byggochplantjansten/Pagaende-planarbete/PagaendePlanarbete/Planarende/?journalnumber=2009-02013
http://www.stockholm.se/Fristaende-webbplatser/Fackforvaltningssajter/Exploateringskontoret/Ovriga-byggprojekt-i-innerstaden/Norra-Station/
http://www.nyakarolinskasolna.se/
http://www.stockholm.se/-/Nyheter/Trafik--Stadsmiljo/Hagastaden--intunnlingen-av-E4E20-har-paborjats/
http://www.google.se/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dn.se/images/2010/12/22/Hagastaden660.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dn.se/sthlm/hagastaden-ska-satta-halsan-framst&usg=__W3eQ_S09XxG1J6sHBDlcRHtbSFU=&h=396&w=660&sz=80&hl=sv&start=2&sig2=DlsjAh31i2zbp9CrT__cbQ&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=LxwZvwy7u0yAVM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=138&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhagastaden%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dsv%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D721%26bih%3D766%26tbm%3Disch&ei=InQcTruJM43csga5yJzgBg