Loo of a Lifetime has been selected as the UK winner of the Geberit Bathroom design challenge. The brief was to design an inspirational and functional family bathroom measuring just six square metres in size.
Our bathroom of the future is the one that can last a lifetime – or several lifetimes. We need to start creating spaces that are adaptable, flexible, resilient and enduring, given the carbon and materials costs associated with construction.
Our bathroom needs and expectations change enormously over time. As a consequence, bathrooms need to be safe but stimulating when we are babies and toddlers, calming and reassuring as we enter adolescence and adulthood, and accessible and easy-to-use as we reach old age.
Creating a bathroom for a lifetime means choosing materials and products that are simple, strong and long lasting. We have given consideration to the carbon footprint and sustainability of all the materials and equipment used, as well as their longevity and reliability.
The Gerberit sanitaryware and brassware products chosen for the design are uncomplicated and easy-to-use for all ages. They rely on straightforward technologies and materials that have been tried and tested over many years.
The flooring is a naturally riven UK stone, which is tough and durable, as well as naturally slip- and water-resistant. It has existed for millennia beneath the ground and has the potential to last for centuries in a bathroom. Built around this is a highly articulated and flexible system of storage and adaptable features, designed to support different age groups using the space. These items are constructed from recycled plastic board – turning waste plastic into a high-performance material that is robust and resistant to moisture and damp.
We wanted to create a bathroom that could meet all these needs, while remaining a space that is thoughtfully and elegantly designed; a space you would want to spend time in, where practical requirements do not compromise aesthetic or atmospheric qualities. Our bathroom design is for everyone at every stage of their lives. It is also intended for multigenerational living, which is a growing trend in UK towns and cities.
Conceived as objects within a hardworking environment, the sanitaryware supports adaptable joinery and cabinetry. The latter can be folded away to open-up the space or employed to add articulation and definition to the various user functions taking place. The bold joinery elements are warm and tactile, contrasting with the simple white sanitaryware. We have chosen a neutral material palette to complement the users’ other belongings.
Overall, our bathroom is designed to be interactive; to serve a range of users and their individual needs throughout their lives. The design concept revolves around flexibility rather than limitation, enabling the family and/or individual to take ownership.
The Geberit Bathroom Design Challenge forms part of a larger international competition, titled 6×6, in which the winning designs from six countries – Denmark, Germany, France, Great Britain, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic/Slovakia – will go head-to-head to find an overall winner. The six designs, including ours, will be showcased on the landing pages of the participating Geberit sales companies.
The overall winner of 6×6 will be announced after a vote by end users and social media followers, with all those casting a vote entered into a draw with prizes worth more than £8,000. Following this, the winning design will be built and photographed, before appearing on Geberit’s websites and social media channels, as well as in next year’s international brochures.