As a first step in robot design, high-level requirements are typically defined based on stakeholder and user expectations. However, critical design factors, such as the robot’s realistic capabilities constrained by its motion and structural properties, are often overlooked at this stage. Integrating these kinematic robot properties into the requirements early in the design process enables more realistic and feasible specifications. By matching requirements with structural and kinematic properties, either the requirements can be refined based on the kinematic structure, or the kinematic structure can be designed to meet the requirements. This approach establishes a foundation where kinematics shape what is possible, and requirements shape what is needed. In this paper, we present a model-based approach that links robot requirements to kinematic properties, supporting the refinement of requirements and kinematic structures based on prioritized needs. The applicability of the approach is demonstrated using an industrial use case.