Laufen, the Swiss manufacturer of high-end bathroom solutions, has introduced its ILBAGNOALESSI One Collection. A blend of wood and ceramic materials, it’s also a balance of asymmetrical lines and fluid transitions between the materials. A+A recently interviewed Javier Korneluk , managing director for Laufen North America, via email.

Tell us about the intent of the design?

The design rejects the classic interpretation of bathroom symmetry. You have both organic shapes and geometric edges, as well as Sensual shapes, stark white and warm wood. And yet, the design succeeds in creating a visual balance and a casually elegant function. It’s the balance of elements like warm and cold, hard and soft, that makes the space unique, fresh and exciting.

The inspiration?
The inspiration comes out of the collaboration between Stefano Giovannoni, with the ILBAGNOALESSI Oneseries, the Italian design factory Alessi, and Swiss bathroom specialist LAUFEN. It’s a marriage of LAUFEN’s technical acumen and Stefano Giovannoni’s design passion that results in the unique style of the ILBAGNOALESSI One collection. The impact of the design bathroom derives from a complex balance of asymmetrical lines and fluid transitions between the ceramic, wood and glass materials.

The materials?
Porcelain, Wood veneer, high-gloss lacquer, and fireclay.

The challenges of executing the designs?
The challenge in a bathroom is to create something that is at once functional (waterproof, durable, easy to clean, hygienic, and water saving) and something that is beautiful, different, fresh. According to Alberto Alessi, “The bathroom is increasingly becoming one of the most interesting places in the domestic environment, where people can give their imagination free reign. The overall bathroom setting is much more than just a place where we clean our bodies.”

The target market?
High end residential, hospitality or commercial.

The price range?
The ILBAGNOALESSI One Washbasin with shelf and vanity is $5,900.

[slideshow id=1467]