An innovative material and an expressive design characterise the Val bathroom collection from Laufen, the Swiss bathroom specialist.

Val was created by the Munich designer Konstantin Grcic, and explores the potential of the SaphirKeramik material by means of fine geometric lines, narrowly-defined radii and tactile surfaces. For this work, the functional yet equally attractive collection has been honoured with the Gold Award, the highest level at the iF Design Awards.

The Val bathroom collection demonstrates that good design is the result of thorough research, bold conception and a large degree of innovation. Laufen invested a lot of time in the development of Val, engaging Konstantin Grcic, a designer who is well known for taking new materials and production methods to their limits.

With the new SaphirKeramik, Laufen gave Grcic the opportunity to push back and at the same time redefine the design and functional boundaries for ceramics in the bathroom. The intensive collaboration started in 2014 with the Laufen SaphirKeramik project, in which different concept studies based on washbasins with functional-decorative surfaces were developed.

The Val bathroom collection was developed from the experience gained during this project. In the process, central aesthetic characteristics from the studies were adopted and transferred into a design that is on the one hand simple, functional and architectural, but on the other hand displays expressive details. The precondition for the realisation was the high level of ceramic expertise at Laufen, which put the company in the position of being able to develop innovative materials, and to transfer even demanding designs into an industrial process.

The Val SaphirKeramik items include simple wall-mounted washbasins, a rectangular and an asymmetrical washbasin bowl, together with a round and a rectangular storage dish. A bathtub made using cast mineral Sentec material completes the collection. Grcic refined his SaphirKeramik collection with exquisite structures, decorative patterns and different levels. Particularly in the case of the washbasin and storage dishes this leads to semi-dry areas, which can be used as storage areas for soaps or creams.

The highly-qualified jury at the iF Design Awards 2016 was impressed by this concept, and awarded it with the iF Product Design Award in Gold in the bathroom category.

"The importance of the iF Gold Award is that our project has been awarded as outstanding in its category by a highly competent jury. I consider it a valuable confirmation of the work we have done together with Laufen. With this in mind, we see the award as an impetus for future projects"

– Konstantin Grcic comments on the success at the iF Design Awards.

The 58-member jury of experts awarded the highest iF award to only 75 of 5,295 products entered.

In February 2016, the iF design award 2016 winners were celebrated during a glamorous awards ceremony, the iF design award night, at the BMW Welt in Munich. In front of more than 2,000 guests from design, culture and the media iF CEO Ralph Wiegmann congratulated the 75 iF gold award winners personally for their outstanding designs.

Val SaphirKeramik collection wins iF Gold Award 2016

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