Wedge washbasin

red dot: best of the best
red dot award: product design 2007

Made of one piece – on form and material
Since the earth has existed, nature has produced a kind of concrete. Many kinds of rock actually consist of finely powdered rock, which was cemented together by rain and rivers and then hardened over thousands of years. The limestone and dissolved silicon dioxide in water causes, in the same way as industrially produced concrete, the cementation of the material. Those who are masters of the art of concrete can give it a wide variety of different characteristics. The Wedge washbasin is made of concrete and thus its design follows a pioneering approach – highly interesting for many designers – of how to create an innovative product from such a material. The special characteristics of concrete played a central role for the concept of this washbasin, because it is made of a patented, high-quality glass fibre concrete that allows new forms. Thus the washbasin is lightweight, and at only 46 kg no heavier than a ceramic washbasin. When looked at in profile, the underside of the washbasin is chamfered towards the front, which is just 4 cm thick, lending it an almost floating appearance. The basin is made of one piece with a top plane area for water to flow off towards the drain. The top and side surfaces are even and glazed, while the underside has been abraded. The Wedge washbasin has an organic appeal that is further underlined through the small pores of the concrete material. Since the washbasin was treated with a UV-resistant waterproofing, water rolls off easily. This new interpretation of a material has generated a surprising new form that could also be an inspiration for other designs in the future.