Splash - 3 elements in interplay

»Splash« is a composition of a washstand, a shower and a bathtub, which allows the key aspects of the bathroom to be combined into a single organic body. 

Solid surface materials Miraklon & corian

»The flowing shapes are based on the fluidity of water,« Thomas Vietzke from »Vietzke & Borstelmann Architekten« describes the design concept. The fact that Hasenkopf Industrie Manufaktur masters the use of a wide variety of premium materials is demonstrated by the visionary piece of bathroom furniture »Splash« in a variety of ways. In addition to the solid surface materials MIRAKLON® and Corian®, more than 500 conical acrylic inlays were produced by Hasenkopf – every one unique. All the items are seamlessly integrated into the shell by hand and carefully finished, creating a flawlessly polished surface. With the help of LED units under the outer shell, the transparent acrylic inlays produce an impression of drops of water in the desired colours.

Interview with Thomas Vietzke

Hasenkopf: You designed »Splash« for Hasenkopf Industrie Manufaktur. What inspired you?

Thomas Vietzke:Splash is an expression of our confrontation with the innovative casting process »...«, which allows very complex and continuous surfaces to materialise perfectly. In this item, three functions of a bathroom are merged together in a single drop shape. The continuous transitions from one concave-convex shape into the next are pleasing to the touch; a sensory experience is made possible.

Hasenkopf: Do you create your design visions primarily for use by people or is it more important to you to demonstrate the possibilities of tomorrow?

Thomas Vietzke: Design must always be useful; otherwise, it would be art. At the same time, a good design also uses future technologies, such as digital production methods, digital design methods etc. In this case, we work at the transition between digital and analogue, a kind of digital craft. Ultimately this type of prototype (Splash) is aimed at testing an extreme case of forms of design which will later be mass-produced.

Hasenkopf:When Hasenkopf asked you for an extraordinary design, you were surprised by today’s possibilities for realisation?

Thomas Vietzke: Not exactly surprised, but delighted: the congenial development of possibilities for forming and production, including with respect to a customisation of shapes, in industry corresponds to our design approach of developing customised pieces.

Hasenkopf: What trends have you seen in design in recent years?

Thomas Vietzke: It is, for example, interesting, that even in companies which have previously relied on an almost radical minimalism – i.e. the total simplification of the form and function formula – increasingly differentiated shapes are appearing. The result is a greater variety of shapes in contrast to purely monotonous levels. The purely functionalist approach (identical components repeated) is stepping into the background in favour of a greater wealth of shapes.

Photos: © Heiner Heine