Two Axor projects win three awards at the European Hotel Design Awards 2011

Read article : Two Axor projects win three awards at the European Hotel Design Awards 2011

Tuesday 22nd November marked the annual European Hotel Design Awards at the Park Plaza Hotel, Westminster Bridge. Held on the eve of the prestigious 2011 Sleep Event, the black tie dinner was hosted by BBC Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine and celebrated the very best in new hotel design from across Europe.

Recognised by the judges for their creative excellence and commercial viability, two of the winning projects - The Savoy Hotel and Four Seasons, Park Lane, London, both feature showers and bathroom fittings from international bathroom brand Axor, the designer brand from Hansgrohe. 

Following an ambitious £220 million restoration, the Savoy re-opened in October 2010 and won two awards ‘Interior Design of the Year’ for its lobby and public areas and one of the key accolades of the night ‘The European Hotel Design of the Year’.  A British icon since 1889, the new design successfully blends old and new while allowing English Edwardian and Art Deco interiors to shine with timeless elegance and glamour.  The Axor Montreux collection with its nostalgic, turn of the 20th century styling and modern technology was a perfect fit for the bathrooms in 215 of the hotel’s 268 guestrooms and suites.

Axor designers, Phoenix Design, combined clear, geometric shapes with pure, traditional elements such as filigree cross handles, ceramic detailing at the centre of each mixer handle and accessories such as wall lights with handmade crystal glass shades, soap dishes and towel rails.  Other unique reminiscences of the era include bridge mixer taps and a freestanding version of the bath tub mixer. All taps, shower and accessories are available with a distinctive brushed or polished nickel finish or, as chosen by the Savoy, the timeless option of polished chrome.

These latest two awards join a cavalcade of prizes to round off a successful first re-opening year including the ‘2011 Hot List’ from Condé Nast Traveller and ‘Favourite UK Hotel’ at the Telegraph Travel Awards.

The Four Seasons on London’s Park Lane won the top award ‘Architecture of the Year’ for conversion of an existing hotel building. Hansgrohe supplied its design-led, superbly crafted Axor Citterio bathroom collection to all 192 luxury guest rooms, including 45 one, two and three-bedroom suites with airy views across fashionable Mayfair rooftops and the greenery of Hyde Park. 

Axor Citterio was the ideal partner for the finely detailed bathrooms which feature delicate marble and brushed steel, enhanced by walnut and marble cabinetry and vanity mirrors with integrated televisions. There are over 70 individual items bearing the Axor Citterio label including a wide choice of mixers for basins, bidets and baths, as well as coordinating showers, showerpipes, bath tubs and accessories.  All are characterised by a strong geometric design with gleaming, perfectly crafted chrome surfaces and a harmonious combination of straight angular edges next to rounded curves.  Designed to perfectly blend into both modern and classic interiors, the line radiates luxury as an expression of quality, workmanship, expertise and added value.

Ben Reed, Contract Manager responsible for both the Savoy and Four Seasons hotels comments, “It has been a privilege to be involved with these tremendous hotel projects. The Savoy is steeped in history so was not only a great contract to win but crucial to get right in order to meet the exacting standards required of the hotel design team. With the Four Seasons, we worked very closely from start to finish with the client’s designers at ReardonSmith Architects, so I am delighted also to see the practice recognised and rewarded for their vision and talent with Patrick Reardon winning the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution’ ‘.

 

Axor, the designer brand of Hansgrohe AG, successfully realizes “Designer Visions for Your Bathroom". In cooperation with Axor, leading product designers, architects and interior designers develop their vision for the bathroom as a living space. The Axor collections offer a great number of unique and sustainable solutions to create personalised bathrooms of the highest aesthetic and technological levels. To date, Axor collections have been created by Philippe Starck, Antonio Citterio, Jean-Marie Massaud, Patricia Urquiola as well as Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. They all contribute towards making life in and around the bathroom a little more meaningful and beautiful. The Axor brand is headed by Philippe Grohe.

 

EKBB - Article - Learning curve

Read article : EKBB - Article - Learning curve

Bathrooms are embracing soft silhouettes and rounded corners for a calm and harmonious vibe

Published: 9th February 2017

There's a subtle style shift going on in our bathrooms and it’s all down to our need for solace, respite and a sense of calm amid today’s hectic lifestyles. For while the sharp lines and slick angular shapes of the super-minimalist bathroom were once our go-to design choice, these are being gently rubbed down in favour of softer curves, organic lines and an altogether more Zen-like spa ambience where we can escape for an hour or two.

Lead image With soft, organic lines, the EauZone Plus curved shower enclosure from Matki offers generous showering space with a sliding door and 10mm solid safety glass. Priced at £2,354

Below The interior, circular shape of the Kaldewei Centro washbasin is based on the brand’s bath of the same name, for harmonious design. In steel enamel with a bespoke wood top, it costs from £857

‘The word harmony is currently being used as a catalyst for the top trends in 2017,’ explains Nancy Straughan, interior designer at London-based luxury bathroom emporium, Hugo Oliver. ‘Many people are now looking to create bathrooms that provide a peaceful sanctuary away from the stresses of everyday life. So, to create this ‘harmonious’ look try seeking out basins and bathtubs that all feature beautiful curved design elements.’

Below This classic, curvaceous London bath is made from Lucite with a painted PVC surround in Sand. It costs £1,999, from Burlington Bathrooms.

Design experts agree that curvaceous freestanding baths, cylindrical taps and curved cabinets all play their part in creating an effortless, laid-back bathroom space that suits our demand now for a softer, more relaxed silhouette. To sum up, curves are back. ‘A bathroom with fewer hard edges is less clinical and can be much easier on the eye,’ says Giulia Montagnani, designer at Day True, exclusive UK supplier of the Rexa brand. ‘Clients have much more freedom to play with the design given that the basins, bathtubs and toilets don’t strictly need to fit into corners or align with windows or doors.’ However, adds Montagnani, curved bathrooms are often made up of freestanding pieces and can’t be installed flush with each other, so generally need larger spaces to work.

Below Exuding a Zen-like calm, the Neutra Spa bath, £30,154, is carved from a block of Basaltina, a grey lava stone with a granular texture. Shown here with the shallow Nest basin in Bianco Carrara stone, £1,373, all from C.P. Hart.

Craig Senel of The Furniture Union has also witnessed a renaissance in rounded edges which bring with them many benefits for the bathroom designer and homeowner alike: ‘Curves work with curves just as well as straight lines while curved cabinets can be fitted into tight spaces without looking too cramped and forced into place.’ It’s a versatile look, it appears, with the new generation of curves suiting all styles and sizes and mixing with straighter, squarer lines if you don’t want to go all out on the trend.

Below The gently rounded Curvo bathroom furniture by Dansani comes in Matt Graphite, Grey Rubber lacquer for an extra tactile finish. Basin unit costs from £1,762, and wall unit from £1,099, all The Bathroom Shop.

‘If you’re not looking to completely change your bathroom, go for a freestanding bath designed with softness in mind,’ adds Straughan. ‘If you don’t have the space for a tub, why not install a shower screen that features a curved door design. And if you love your current bathroom but you’d like to bring in this ‘harmony’ trend, simply look out for curved accessories, like storage and mirrors, with rounded shapes and soft lines.’

Article by: Lara Sargent