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Design Concepts: Bewitching Bathrooms

by Matthew Zuras on February 4, 2010 at 12:50 PM

The Web is teeming with the unrealized ideas of both students and established designers who set out to produce astonishing renderings and prototypes for unusual products. Unfortunately, due to the lack of time, money, or technology, many of those products never progress from the planning stages to the mass market. But that doesn't mean we can't salivate over them, nevertheless.

Cumulatively, we spend hours every week in bathrooms. So why shouldn't this space receive the same attention to design as any other? We may not entertain guests there, but that doesn't mean the loo can't be functional as well as beautiful. One interesting aspect of well-designed bathrooms is that they almost never feature digital technology. That's not to say that we haven't seen techy interventions for the lavatory, but most (e.g., mirrors with embedded TVs, shower radios) tend to lack either real-world usefulness or aesthetic appeal. But we've recently run across a few restroom realizations that dazzlingly incorporate hi-tech features and flawless form. This week we've culled some of our favorite bathroom concepts, from fixtures to architectural designs, that help to bring the W.C. into the 21st century.

Cocoon Shower Stall by Arina Komarova

For some reason, this ovate contraption reminds us of the Orgasmatron from Woody Allen's classic film 'Sleeper.' Arina Komarova's Cocoon Shower would look right at home in that ultramodern year of 2173, and appears to be about as pleasing as the Orgasmatron, itself. A rainfall shower head sits at the apex of the stall, which totally envelops the lucky bather. The Cocoon can also be used as a bathtub or jacuzzi, all set off with requisite, in-line mood lighting.

Home Core toilet by Dang Jingwei

This baby has seen a lot of press recently, but we couldn't do a bathroom roundup without including it. Dang Jingwei's Home Core is perhaps the eco-friendliest toilet in the world (too bad it's only a concept). The top of Home Core is a sink, which slides out to reveal a toilet and a pop-up mirror. After you use the sink, Home Core saves the drained gray water for the loo, in lieu of fresh H20. (Yeah, we just punned that.) That saves gallons of potable potty water with every flush.

Box by Yonoh

Studio Yonoh created the fantastic Box modular bathroom, and, naturally, it was selected as a finalist in the 2009 100% Design's bathroom competition in London. The Box is composed of three distinct modules, each respectively containing: the shower and storage; the toilet and sink; and extra space. The water tanks and electronic components required by the Box are stored in the body of each module, feeding water to the shower and toilet, and power to the faucets' digital interface. Plus, since each section is modular, they're interchangeable! Check out an amazing video here to see the Box's possibilities.

Blob VB3 by dmvA

While the Blob VB3 is not strictly a bathroom, we still have to include it. This mobile unit, by architectural firm dmvA, collapses the functions of an entire home into a single, small space -- with a seamlessly integrated wash area. A glass-enclosed section of the wall rotates to open a miniature bathroom, which includes a standing shower, toilet and sink. For anyone living in small spaces (i.e., New Yorkers), this is a square-footage revelation.

Roca Active & Relax Bathroom by Michal Mitek

On the opposite end of the aesthetic spectrum (but still incorporating the same idea of limited space) is the ridiculously decadent Roca Active & Relax Bathroom. Designer Michal Mitek envisioned a fully transformable space that can act as either a bathroom or a gym. A recessed shower head peers down on its bather from the ceiling, while a sunken tub waits for its undoubtedly wealthy owner under removable floor panels. You'll need a good scrubbing after your power workout; replacing the bathtub covers creates a minimalist gym that David Barton would love. Oh yeah, did we mention the wall has LCD TVs? We want to live here.

Tags: arina komarova, ArinaKomarova, bathroom, cocoon shower, CocoonShower, dang jingwei, DangJingwei, design, designconcepts, dmva, features, home core, HomeCore, michal mitek, MichalMitek, modular, shower, toilet, top, yonoh

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