Laufen presents Sonar
Swiss bathroom specialist Laufen has launched Sonar, a collaboration with internationally-acclaimed designer Patricia Urquiola that has taken SaphirKeramik to a third dimension.
Having designed the Laufen showroom in Madrid, Urquiola’s Sonar range includes thoughtfully designed wall-hung washbasins, washbasin bowls and a bathtub – using the high-tech ceramic material SaphirKeramik to allow for the creation of water-thin yet robust walls, finely defined curves and tight-edge radii of just 1-2mm.
Approaching the material in terms of décor as well as form and function, Urquiola combines two matrices of inspiration: the rigour of architectural minimalism as an expression of purity and formal understatement, and the energy and dynamism connected with the natural phenomenon of sound waves and their relationship with water.
The traditionally smooth and continuous outer surfaces of washstands and bathtubs take on a three-dimensional aspect, while conserving particularly slender lines. Inclined planes, material cuts and small internal overhangs are all also functional ploys that optimise the flow of water to resolve logistical aspects with creative ingenuity.
“For me Laufen means many themes; innovation, choice, research on the finest materials, respect for design aimed at always achieving maximum quality,” comments Urquiola.
