An Overview of the WaterDream Exhibition

In 2005, Axor, a bathroom fixture manufacturer, issued a challenge to a trio of European designers – Jean-Marie Massaud, the Bouroullec brothers, and Patricia Urquiola — to re-imagine the experience of water in the bathroom in such a way as to reconnect users with the 330 million cubic miles of water that circulate on or near the surface of the earth.  The designers who participated in the WaterDream project created conceptual bathrooms that celebrate the transformative qualities of water in the domestic realm.

This exhibition at the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) showcases these WaterDream designs.  It also touches upon the evolution of the bathroom and its fixtures, from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day.

Gallery One:

A visual timeline provides a pictorial history of the evolution of the bathroom from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, showing how this room that serves hygienic and practical purposes has become a place of comfort and luxury.

Gallery Two:

The faucets and fixtures on display in Gallery Two further demonstration the evolution of bathroom design, reminding us of how form and function work together to create luxurious bathrooms such as those found in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona, the “Volcano” soccer stadium in Mexico, and the Queen Mary ocean liner.

Gallery Three:

As seen in Gallery Three, Philippe Starck started a revolution by re-imagining the bathroom more than a decade ago — a revolution that continued with the WaterDream project — also seen in this Gallery.  Starck’s designs are uncompromisingly minimalistic — there are no disruptive elements and unnecessary decoration — and provide a welcome respite from the hectic pace of modern life.

 

To learn more about the designers who participated in the WaterDream Project, click here.