sebastian herkner inspired by japanese tea for duravit's zencha bath collection

As the name of the collection suggests, Herkner alludes to the tea culture of Japan. To green tea, which is prepared and celebrated according to centuries-old practices. Thus, the shape of the countertop basins and the freestanding bathtub is by no means coincidentally reminiscent of fine drinking vessels. The starting point for the design are handmade ceramic tea bowls that the designer discovered in Japan. Their soft, organic shapes are reflected in an abstract form in the sanitary objects. Gently bulbous at the bottom, the contours of the basins and bathtub taper out with a fine curve towards the top. The most striking design feature is the balanced rounded shape – neither angular nor oval – as well as a graceful, softly outward-curving rim.

‘It was important to us to develop an atmosphere in the bathroom in which we can charge our batteries for the coming day in the morning, but also find ourselves in the evening,’ explains Herkner. An important role is played by spatial experience, form, color, but also materiality. The countertop basins are double-walled and made of DuraCeram®, a material that allows for the creation of products with extremely thin edges, while also being easy to clean and absolutely stable. The basins are available in two different shapes: as a curved square measuring 420 x 420 mm or as a rounded rectangle measuring 550 x 390 mm – each with or without a tap hole bench and with the colour options of glossy white, satin white, satin grey and satin anthracite.

The bathtubs are seamlessly made of DuraSolid®, a solid surface material with a pleasantly warm feel and a high-quality matt appearance. Particularly eye-catching, and reminiscent of the traditional Japanese Onsen, is the 1250 x 1250 mm free-standing bathtub version. In addition, there are two more compact versions measuring 1600 x 850 mm and 1800 x 900 mm – optionally with the Air Whirl system integrated into the base of the bath for a gentle massage effect.

Equally as puristic as the collection’s sanitary elements is the accompanying modular storage furniture series which includes open shelves and drawers with push-open and self-closing technology that Herkner designed with the same high standards of craftsmanship, and which lends the bathroom a contemporary degree of homeliness. ‘Producing such technically complex solutions with consistent quality only works if, like Duravit, you have your own production facilities with the corresponding know-how and high craftsmanship,’ says Herkner. In concrete terms, this is reflected in the use of elements made of wood and structural glass, which give the furniture a special, high-quality feel. Their linear style, with a fine 6 mm slim frame, contrasts with the curved design language of the ceramics. Meanwhile, a shadow gap makes the furniture look elegant and light.

In the spirit of everyday practicality, the body and frame of the furniture are finished with an easy-to-clean, anti-fingerprint surface. To protect them from the effects of splashing water and increased humidity, the surfaces and edges of the furniture are carefully sealed to make them water-repellent. With the help of a color palette of white super matt, taupe super matt and graphite super matt as well as a varied selection of cupboard fronts – from natural oak and black oak to white flat glass and black structured glass – a wide range of style worlds can be realized. The new collection also includes a mirror whose contour picks up on the round shapes of the basins and is accentuated by an all-round LED strip.

Herkner repeatedly goes back to the roots of the various crafts he saw on his travels, such as glassblowing workshops, woodcarvers and basket weavers. The impressions he gathered are incorporated into his contemporary designs, linking old traditions with new technologies. And this is exactly what the Zencha Collection for Duravit bears witness to.