Interview with Antonio Citterio

“I’m an architect, first and foremost,” says Antonio Citterio. In fact, to this highly acclaimed Italian designer, the surrounding space always represents the starting point of his product design. For Antonio Citterio the bathroom is a living environment requiring highest attention, and with the Axor Citterio collection he thus delivered a new definition of the bathroom. The Axor Citterio M single lever basin mixer for washbowls was selected by the design experts of the red dot jury for a “red dot: best of the best” award. In this red dot interview, we spoke with the designer about the significance of the bathroom and his own work.

Mr. Citterio, to what extend has the significance of bathrooms changed in recent years?
Antonio Citterio: Formerly, the bathroom was considered to be hardly more than a necessity and a commodity, and for the same reason was basically ignored. Today the role of the bathroom in the domestic sphere has changed: it is a private area conceived for the wellness and relaxation of each member of the family. The trend nowadays is almost always that of having more than just a bathroom, where the luxury is not in expensive onyx, but in space, a horizon, light and music.

What was your inspiration for the design of the “Axor Citterio M” basin mixer?
Antonio Citterio: My aim was to create a product, the function of which is immediately obvious.

This single lever basin mixer is marked by its extraordinarily slim design. Why was it important to you to lend it this particular form of lightness?
Antonio Citterio: My “Axor Citterio M” produced by Hansgrohe has been purposely kept simple in design. I wanted it exactly as it is. I did not seek to make it sensational. I do believe that innovation today comes not in terms of forms but rather in terms of product philosophy.

How would you describe your design style?
Antonio Citterio: I avoid the word “style”.

When creating the design for a project, where do you usually work? Where do you get your inspiration from?
Antonio Citterio: I work in my office getting my inspiration from everyday life.