What if individual control elements could be eliminated to make room for an uncluttered shower experience? Axor has worked on an answer to this question with the London-based design duo Barber & Osgerby. Axor One – the brand’s first all-in-one interactive shower control element – is a masterpiece of intuition, a confident, and yet unobtrusive statement in the shower. Generously proportioned, but fascinatingly clean, it is a focal point for the senses – a haven of tranquility in tomorrow’s shower space. Axor One made its debut at the London Design Festival on September 22nd.
“With Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby we transformed the idea of a central shower control element into an engaging, purely mechanical interface that refines showering into a tactile, precise and responsive practice”, Philippe Grohe, Head of Axor, explains.
All-in-One: A New Level of Simplicity Thanks to Structured Functionality
“Axor One allows a completely fresh interpretation of water control: by consolidating many individual controls into one simple element, it streamlines both the look and functionality of the bathroom”, according to Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby. The possibility to simultaneously turn multiple water outlets on or off with the back of the hand or the elbow makes Axor One a convenient and engaging shower experience.
Temperature is set by turning the central dial; a small lever directly below regulates water volume, and the Eco Mode reduces water consumption up to 50%. The flow of water is activated and deactivated by tapping of the paddles: clear symbols indicate the specific water outlets the user can choose from (e.g. overhead, hand, or side shower). This unification of water outlet activation, water volume regulation, and temperature control, gives a sleek form to a structured function.
Instinctive and Pared Back Design
With its monolithic but soft form, Axor One creates a new spaciousness in the shower – a pleasant feeling of clarity and tranquility. Plane surfaces, rounded edges, and an integrated mechanical interface, constitute a clearly structured concealed thermostat that eliminates distraction from a soothing shower experience. The refined proportions, sculpted form and accurate detailing make a timeless statement that merges seamlessly with any bathroom environment. With a variety of special finishes, ranging from subdued chrome to a bold red-gold, Axor One becomes as visible as the user would like it to be.
Axor, the design brand of Hansgrohe SE, successfully realises “Designer Visions for Your Bathroom". In cooperation with Axor, leading architects, interior and product designers develop their vision for the bathroom as a living space. The Axor Collections offer a great number of unique and sustainable solutions to create personalised bathrooms of the highest aesthetic and technological levels. To date, Axor design partners include Barber & Osgerby, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Antonio Citterio, Front, Jean-Marie Massaud, Nendo, Phoenix Design, Philippe Starck, and Patricia Urquiola. They all contribute towards making life in and around the bathroom a little more meaningful and beautiful. The Axor brand is headed by Philippe Grohe, grandson of the company’s founder Hans Grohe.
