“We have observed for quite a while that the bathroom has been subject to fundamental change. A process which is sure to continue and engage us for some time to come,� says Philippe Grohe. The days when the bathroom was a functional room used exclusively for personal hygiene and therefore neglected by architects and interior designers are over. For some time now the bathroom has been developing into a living room and space, where people can find peace and tranquillity after the hustle and bustle of their urban everyday lives. This change in function and importance influences not only the product design, but increasingly also the space, its design, size and structure.

 

With Philippe Starck’s collection, which he created for Axor in 1994, the brand took on a pioneering role, because Axor Starck was not only revolutionary in its design and technology. The Starck bathroom of 1994, with its clear homely accent on timber floorboards, plastered walls and a large window, underscores this move away from the functional room. With this it gave a clear signal which heralded the beginning of a more homely atmosphere in the bathroom. In 2003 Axor and Antonio Citterio communicated for the first time with the Axor Citterio collection a sharp and conscious division of the bathroom between a "Need Space� and a “Desire Space�. Here the bathroom consciously opened up towards the bedroom – an extension of the bathroom as living room and a meaningful merger of two intimate areas. In the years 2006/2007 Axor joined with the French designer Jean-Marie Massaud in laying the emphasis on the emotional side of creating a bathroom living area and on our fundamental relationship with nature and the element of water.

 

Today a satisfying and modern bathroom should be increasingly characterised by a holistic concept of space. That’s why Axor always showcases a holistic bathroom concept, as well as the classic fittings and range of accessories of its designer collections. In the course of the design process Axor and the creatives have intensive debates about the theme of the bathroom. They come up with suggestions for the bathroom which don’t only inspire dreams in people. Through their holistic approach they also provide inspiration to make them reality, in that everything — the Axor fittings and accessories, the choice of materials for the floors and walls, even the lay- out of the room — is balanced and in harmony.

 

These ideas about the bathroom and its development are concerned with the interrelationship of Water – Man – Space. An important aspect of quality of life is at issue here. For this reason Axor sees bathroom products not only as functional objects. It is the goal of Axor to develop designs and spatial concepts that go beyond the purely functional aspects and variety of styles.