Timeless bathroom furniture range with innovative DuroCast UltraResist washbasins – also ideal for compact spaces.
- New, high-quality material for the washbasins: DuroCast UltraResist, manufactured using the mineral casting technique
- Furniture with a reduced depth that is especially suited to small bathrooms
- Subtly backlit, semi-transparent glass fronts create a welcoming ambience
- Design highlights: console vanity units with projecting above-counter basins or vanity units with integrated c-bonded washbasins
- Contemporary, timeless design
Christian Werner is a designer who lives and breathes the topic of bathrooms and sanitaryware. He has worked with Duravit on innovative bathroom solutions for many years. After six furniture projects he has now designed his very first washbasins – which interact with console vanity units and washbasin vanity units. The range juxtaposes materials with interesting visual and tactile qualities: while the washbasins manufactured using the mineral cast process are made from DuroCast UltraResist, the console vanity unit comes with a fine metal frame and a choice of fronts made from backlit glass, wood, or various décor finishes. The result is a natural-looking ensemble that radiates coziness. “The starting point for this design idea was a rigorous interrogation of the habits we take for granted. With Vitrium I sought to redefine the design of the bathroom and the associated routines. As well as the kitchen and living room, for me the bathroom, too, is a place of comfort and refuge,” said Christian Werner, explaining the idea behind his bathroom range. Vitrium uses subtle colors and tactile surfaces to create a feel-good atmosphere, which is enhanced by the arrangement of furniture, textiles such as curtains and rugs, and decorative accessories. Vitrium will be presented at the ISH 2023 as a series from the Duravit Artisan Lines. The Artisan Lines feature outstanding and iconic design products with a hand-crafted character that Duravit develops in conjunction with renowned international designers. The design and manufacture of the Artisan Lines require an extraordinary level of knowledge, craftsmanship, and exacting precision.
Modern & timeless: the design
Duravit’s Vitrium range is a minimalistic concept that brings together varying geometries: a straight-lined console vanity unit combined with a round above-counter basin or a rectangular c-bonded washbasin. The most striking design feature is the reduced furniture depth with the projecting above-counter basin, making the design suitable for compact bathrooms. “The basic design idea for the framed fronts and transparency of the furniture has been realized exactly as I imagined. Timelessly modern and unadorned – that’s the look I wanted for my Vitrium concept,” said Christian Werner.
The bathroom furniture made from PEFC*-certified wood is enhanced by rectangular and round mirrors in the same design language and a mirrored cabinet that is also available as a built-in version – all with integrated LED illumination. “Vitrium epitomizes the sensual rituals that take place in the bathroom and sets the ambitious framework for sophisticated and contemporary bathroom cultures,” said the designer, describing his idea. “The objects are intended to help the bathroom become people’s favorite room.”
Creating coziness: the furniture
The metal frame in White and Anthracite has a minimalistic and elegant impact on the geometric bathroom furniture. The furniture is available in two different variants. The backlit, translucent fronts are made from PARSOL glass, which gives the furniture an airy, almost floating appearance – similar to a decorative showcase. They infuse the interior with warmth and are reminiscent of an open fire. “They provide a stage for special everyday items, cosmetics, or accessories, which they transform into something special,” said Christian Werner, explaining his idea of a homely bathroom. The other variant consists of fronts made from wood and single-color décor in a total of eight different hues, which showcase the collection’s versatility in terms of individualized design. A horizontal handle integrated into the metal frame rounds off the pared-down furniture with a pull-out compartment. An additional internal drawer offers subdivided storage areas for small utensils. Matching semi-tall and tall cabinets fitted with hinged doors and glass shelves round off the furniture range.
Material favorites: the washbasins
Vitrium is the first time that Duravit has presented washbasins manufactured using the mineral casting technique. The matt surface of the DuroCast UltraResist material – developed and manufactured in the Duravit factory in Bischwiller – looks extremely elegant and enables a precise design language. What is more, the additionally applied lacquer layer also lends it qualities that are especially beneficial in the bathroom: the non-porous surface makes DuroCast UltraResist easy to clean and comparatively resistant to scratches and dirt. “The pleasant, velvety surface in particular creates an extraordinarily tactile experience,” said Christian Werner, describing how the material feels to the touch.
Two different, delicate washbasins are available to choose from: a round above-counter basin and a rectangular, seamlessly integrated c-bonded version with a refined outer edge. “The round above-counter basins on the straight-lined furniture create a calm yet also dissonant symbiosis,” said Christian Werner. The dissonance arises mainly because the round washbasin projects slightly beyond the edge of the furniture. Conversely, the rectangular Vitrium washbasin, available in five different sizes, blends seamlessly into the furniture.
The Tulum by Philippe Stark faucet range in Chrome or Matt Black is a perfect complement to the sanitary objects and rounds off the sophisticated design concept.
Christian Werner
Born in Berlin in 1959 and relocating to the northern German coast in 1984, Christian Werner studied industrial design in Berlin and Hamburg from 1980-1986 and also studied under Dieter Rams – one of Germany’s icons of post-war design. He was employed as a designer from 1987 to 1992, and has been self-employed since 1992. He is one of Germany’s best interior designers and his designs have been honored with the red dot Award numerous times, and have also won other prizes. Christian Werner was the first furniture designer for Duravit and conceived the Ketho bathroom furniture range more than ten years ago. With six furniture projects under his belt since that time, he has now designed his first washbasin for the Vitrium range – which interacts with the console vanity units.
http://www.christian-werner.com
About Duravit AG
Founded in 1817 in Hornberg in the Black Forest, Duravit AG is today a leading international manufacturer of designer bathrooms and is active in more than 130 countries worldwide. The complete bathroom supplier’s product portfolio comprises top quality sanitary ceramics, bathroom furniture, bathtubs and shower trays, wellness systems, shower-toilets, faucets, and accessories as well as installation systems. Alongside its in-house design expertise, Duravit also works closely on product development with an international network of designers such as Cecilie Manz, Philippe Starck, Christian Werner, Sebastian Herkner, and Bertrand Lejoly as well as talented newcomers. Duravit’s ambition is to make its stakeholders’ lives a little better each day through a combination of forward-looking designs, uncompromising product excellence, a keen sense of human requirements, and responsible corporate management. A key measure in achieving these aims is the overriding mission to become a climate-neutral business by 2045 with no exceptions.
