the nendo collection for bisazza bagno

‘the nendo collection’ by nendo for bisazza bagno image © designboom

japanese studio nendo has created a collection of bathroom furniture for italian luxury brand bisazza. the company’s exhibition space presented during milan design week 2012, entitled ‘transparent mosaic maison’, was conceived by nendo founder oki sato, developed to showcase bisazza’s diverse range of fixtures. to give the feeling of a personal experience and privacy, the angular and solid nature of the forms is consistent throughout all the pieces. in order to avoid heaviness in the volumes, solid larch wood is used for the bathtub, cabinets and sink basin / counter combinations; the warm quality of the material contrasts the shapes used.

aside from the bathroom furniture, sato has also designed two tiles for the brand, ‘the kumo-cloud’ and ‘hana flower’, both of which are a fusion of traditional japanese icons but rendered in the form of a modern mosaic. a solid carrara marble bench is covered in transparent tiles, the veins in the natural stone are combined with the texture of applied squares offering a place for visitors to sit and take in the space.

‘in the past, japanese bathrooms were a place for communication. families bathing together as well as public baths were very common until few decades ago. now, the bathing experience has become very private and functional, even in japan. the collection envisions the bathing environment to express this, but still having the sense of ‘gathering’.’ – oki sato

wooden bathtub image © designboom