Last night the AIDT Tour group headed to the Axor Hansgrohe showroom in the heart of the Milan design district for a special guided tour and presentation of the new Axor Water Dream concept.
Prior to Milan Design Week, Axor extended an invitation to a hand-picked range of architects and designers to create their own spout based on the technological capabilities of the Axor U-Base. As this was intended as a concept only, the designers were free to experiment with a range of forms and materials.
Despite their very different views on the meaning of water within the interior space, each architect and designer experimented with alternative materials and forms to celebrate water and its path on a functional, and on an emotional level.
The Axor U-Base is a universal fixture base that allows a simple and seamless connection to its counterpart – the spout. It offers the security, longevity, and perfect water control of an Axor product.
In British architect David Adjaye’s concept Ritual, water appears from under a granite inlay that is cradled by a wedge-shaped, precious metal (bronze) spout. The water, always in view, is ritualised: from source, to flow, and finally, to descent.
German designer Werner Aisslinger’s conceptual spout, The Sea and the Shore, is a hybrid consisting of a fountain and a shelf – a space for ritual and functionality. Crafted from the ancient and historical material clay, it emphasises the longevity and the value of water and water-releasing objects in our societies.
Water flows from platform to platform in Water Steps, a sculptural metal spout by the Swedish duo FRONT. Focusing on the playful exchange between form and water, it aesthetically and acoustically underlines the emotional potential of the natural element as it flows over PVD-finished, metallic surfaces.
Zen, designed by the Danish-Italian duo GamFratesi, reinterprets the classic Japanese wood fountain. With its minimalistic form and water flow, it achieves a tranquil and meditative spirit, which depicts the honest connection between nature and water.
Jean-Marie Massaud’s Mimicry suggests a water-releasing object in complete harmony with the architectural landscape. Material (marble) and form (simple, geometric shapes) suggest an inherent connection to water and achieve an emotional enhancement of both object and resource.
Whether it is by integration or by making an obvious statement, all five crafted spouts address the evolving desire for individuality, emotionality and sensory experiences in living spaces where water interacts with us.
For more information visit hansgrohe.com or axor-design.com
