Designing Evolution

Anna Moldenhauer: Patrick, in "Vry" for burgbad you have designed a holistic bathroom collection ranging from bathroom furniture via ceramics through to accessories – all with a consistent design language. Why was that so important for you?

Patrick Frey: I just could not imagine only designing a small part of a large whole, as is often the case, say, in the automobile industry. It’s only possible to realize a harmonious whole if you design every single element.

Thanks to its aluminum frame, your “Vry” design has a graphic impact and there is a really striking change between light and shadow. Where did you get your inspiration from?

Patrick Frey: burgbad allowed me a very free hand in the briefing, which made for a pleasant start, as it meant I didn’t have to think about any restrictions. When I design, I try to tell a story and develop a contrast that creates a tension. I also deal with typography a lot in my work and you might say I wanted to transfer the contrast between the typefaces "Bold" and "Light" into a bathroom collection. So I tried to combine the contrasting play between lines of different thicknesses and the effect of closed and open surfaces with one another. The alternation between light and shadow was extremely important to me. When your design verges on the graphic it is often two-dimensional. You can achieve three-dimensionality by introducing a visual break. This then also results in varying qualities of light and shadow. You need the interplay of hard edges and soft curves. When the light alters, so does how we perceive the depth of the space within the object. I find this effect fascinating and integrated it into the collection through the design.

What I also find interesting is how small the radiuses are and the precision with which the edges of "Vry" were executed.

Patrick Frey: What I wanted was to use ceramic to produce very small radiuses. That is rather challenging and I feel grateful that following extensive research on her part Jennifer Albrecht, Product Manager at burgbad AG, tracked down a supplier of the required technology and we were able to solve this task together. That was crucial for us as it meant we could produce a pilot series that served as a basis for all the other design ideas. I think we’ve come up with a pretty good result.

What made you decide to have integrated functional elements?

Patrick Frey: I think it’s more exciting to give users the opportunity to discover a clever function by themselves, rather than making everything overly obvious. That’s the only way users are going to engage with the furniture. So my approach to functional elements is not to reveal everything at once. For example, I took advantage of the shadow in the edging to accommodate a side ledge – that’s practical but it’s not immediately noticeable.

There are flexible hooks on this side ledge and a hairdryer holder so that you always have everything to hand. “Vry” is also characterized by a compact structure with enough storage options and can be customized. Why is this versatility so important for you in the collection?

Patrick Frey: In recent years my own habits have altered radically because I’m now the father of two children and have completely different requirements of my bathroom than I did before they were born. Besides, people differ so much in what they like. Some don’t want to destroy the graphic look of “Vry” and would prefer not to add any hooks – for others it’s important to have certain paraphernalia within easy reach. I’d like to be able to satisfy those two preferences with my design. That’s why it was important to me to give users some say in what is included in “Vry”.

When creating bathroom furniture many designers opt for closed surfaces so as to create something that’s easy on the eyes. Why did you go for open areas?

Patrick Frey: With an average footprint of 7.2 square meters, most bathrooms are fairly small. If you design the vanity units to resemble closed boxes, it makes the space seem even more cramped. That’s why I wanted to make “Vry” as open as possible. I also think that’s the better approach for guest bathrooms. I felt there was no longer a need for many volumes as it’s rare for all the storage space in closed cabinets to be used.

In addition to the graphic version in black and white you have also selected a version with a natural wooden surface. Was the idea there that you wanted to be able to integrate “Vry” into other rooms apart from the bathroom?

Patrick Frey: Yes, my ideal bathroom would be much more open than has been the practice to date in most homes – no walls, basically integrated into the remaining living space. Now the bathroom is still a room separated from the rest of the home. By using natural materials we offer a means of breaking the mold somewhat as the furniture can also be placed in other rooms without being recognizable as ‘bathroom furniture’. You can transfer a good function. As the shelving units are very open, I think it would be fascinating if they were also used in other rooms. However, the reality of the market is also evident in this model since during its development a design has to be adapted to suit market demand. Originally, my idea was to feature highlights with color gradations and offer monochrome options. But there is less demand for this than for the classic color contrast of black/white.

Ensuring processes and products are sustainable is a big priority at Burgbad. To what extent is that reflected in “Vry”?

Patrick Frey: I’m not the kind of designer who simply submits a design. I look for manufacturers and suppliers in the region and in Europe, ensure the designs can be realized, and support the ensuing processes. From the first to the very last stage in the “Vry” manufacturing chain, we examined our decisions to make certain our approach was as sustainable as possible. Some ideas, such as highly magnetic surfaces using neodymium, which is one of the rare earths, were abandoned in the interests of ensuring production was environmentally sound. Moreover, we had originally intended to opt for steel for the frame rather than aluminum but even after time-consuming research we weren’t able to find a manufacturer able to realize a quarter-size radius using steel. And with wood we couldn’t have produced the required stability. Aluminum allowed us to do both these things and the frame can also be recycled. This aspect of the procedure alone reveals the immense role that the circular economy concept played in our development of "Vry". We seek to make our designs as eco-friendly as possible.

“Vry” is the second bathroom collection after “Fiumo” that you have designed for burgbad. Did you gain any insights from the first development that were then implemented in “Vry”?

Patrick Frey: I thought it important that burgbad should evolve as regards ceramic design and find alternatives to mineral cast. That was a necessary move which we achieved together – thanks to “Vry”.