TERMINO: An Approach to Clear and Functional Living
by Tamara Adriazola
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In Berlin, a city that thrives on architectural reinvention, a quiet but determined design brand is reshaping the way we think about kitchens and domestic infrastructure.
Founded in 2022 by Elson Lin, TERMINO does not announce itself with spectacle but with a kind of disciplined clarity, with impeccable precision. The brand has already accumulated iF Design, German Design and Reddot awards, yet its true significance lies in its ability to question the fixed nature of the modern kitchen.
Elson, photographed in ARYS and HOKA Mafate Speed 4 Lite at Lobe Block.
A conversation with Lin reveals a designer deeply invested in spatial freedom and in the belief that a home should evolve alongside the person who inhabits it. From that conviction came the TERMINO Modular System, an ecosystem that does not dominate a room but instead grows with it. Below, the full interview.
ARYS: How did TERMINO first take shape. What was the spark that started it all?
TERMINO began with a simple question: why can’t a kitchen be as flexible as furniture. I always felt that traditional kitchens were too rigid, too dependent on construction, and lacked adaptability. While living in Germany, I realized how easily furniture could be reconfigured for different spaces, except for the kitchen. That moment sparked the idea of creating a modular system that could be freely assembled, disassembled, and expanded.
TERMINO is shaped by people who seek a careful balance between logic and emotion. They are often architects, designers, or simply individuals who appreciate clarity and intention in the spaces they inhabit. For them, a home is not a static environment but something that evolves with the rhythm of daily life. This philosophy guides the entire modular system. Each component is designed to be intuitive, reconfigurable, and precise, allowing the whole structure to shift gracefully as needs change.
This vision naturally extends into the lifestyle the brand promotes. It stands for freedom and longevity, a belief that living spaces should never be restricted by a single configuration or driven by short lived trends. Instead, the system grows alongside its users, becoming a quiet companion that moves through time with them and supports the way their life unfolds.
ARYS: Why aluminum, and how does this choice reflect the essence of TERMINO?
Aluminum is an honest material, clean, strong, fully recyclable, and timeless. Its quiet rationality mirrors TERMINO’s character: modern, durable, and authentic, yet warm to the touch.
ARYS: How would you describe your own personal relationship with the kitchen?
I grew up in Taipei, where cooking was not really part of daily life. But after moving to Berlin, the kitchen became my second living room. Cooking helps me organize my thoughts; it feels like composing a rhythm. TERMINO creates a clean, structured environment where I can focus without distractions.
In conversation, the philosophy behind the project reveals itself with a kind of serene clarity. Simplicity, quality, and design are not treated as lofty ideals but as working principles, the foundations on which every decision rests. There is no pursuit of complexity for its own sake. Instead, the team is engaged in a slower, more deliberate practice: refining structure until only its essential form remains.
Here, simplicity is not the absence of elements but the presence of balance. Quality is found in the quiet precision of every joint, every surface, every gesture. And design becomes a language that speaks softly yet confidently, inviting the user to experience a space that feels grounded, intentional, and beautifully resolved.
ARYS: Do you have a favorite recipe you enjoy preparing with TERMINO, or one that best represents your cooking philosophy?
I often cook pasta or simple Asian dishes. The stainless steel countertops can handle heat and wear, so I can place a pot directly or cut a lemon without worry. That sense of ease is exactly the lifestyle I want TERMINO to express.
ARYS: What advice would you give to someone who wants to approach the kitchen from a design and lifestyle perspective?
Start by asking yourself what you truly need. Do not be guided by trends or appearances. A good kitchen is not made to impress; it is made to let you live, think, and breathe comfortably.
ARYS: Looking ahead, how do you envision the future of TERMINO and the experience it will offer its users?
I hope TERMINO will become more than a kitchen. It is a system that can expand into different living scenarios. The home of the future will not be defined by walls or fixed functions, but by the way we live. TERMINO aims to bring that freedom and possibility to life.
The final impression is clear. TERMINO does not seek to grab attention but to change the conversation. In a market saturated with fleeting trends, Lin proposes something different: a quiet, flexible structure that returns control of space to its inhabitants. A project born from a simple question, yet with the ambition to transform the way we live.
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