Dornbracht Taps Into the Healing Power of Water
International luxury bath and kitchen brand Dornbracht has spent the past decade in research and development on products—or health solutions—which take the powerful effects of water out of a spa setting and into residential bathrooms. The 68-year-old German company, already a world leader in high-quality fittings and accessories, is focused on not only great design but also technological advancement for what it calls "individual health strategies." To that end, Dornbracht has developed LifeSpa, which is part of the brand's "Health, Solutions, Architecture" program offering a variety of ways to integrate water applications into home bathroom design. As their name would suggest, LifeSpa products tend to sound more like spa offerings than bathroom fittings: The range includes the Horizontal Shower, which provides a water massage laying down, the Vertical Shower with the new integrated Water Fan and Water Curve features that allow for an all-over neck and back water massage, and the Rainmoon – the “next level in the evolution of a rain and waterfall [shower] experience." AD PRO talked with Dornbracht’s co-owner and managing director, Andreas Dornbracht, about the company’s focus on wellness and what he sees as the evolution of bathroom design.
AD PRO: What does the bathroom of the future look like—and how is Dornbracht designing for it?
Andreas Dornbracht: For the last 10 years, we have been exploring digital features and how they can enhance the function of faucets. In the beginning of the 2000s, we discovered that bathroom design is not only about the unique combination of design and materials, but it’s also about rituals. It’s these daily rituals [taking place] in the bathroom that became the focus of our research. We asked ourselves, "What is the future of bathroom design for our company?" and determined that it will be, in part, to develop interesting designs and finishes, but it will also be about giving the bathroom more functionality and value for health.
AD PRO: Something along the lines of turning your bathroom into a personal day spa?
Dornbracht: Health and wellness has been an important trend over the last decade, but it seems to have stopped in front of the bathroom door. While we’ve had wellness features—like whirlpools—for the last 30 or 40 years, we believe health as a trend is becoming so important for individuals, that the time has come to think about functions for health within the bathroom. Working together with medical doctors, physiotherapist, and experts on hydrotherapy, we’ve developed new products for the bathroom—as well as the concept that the private bathroom should become part of our own individual health and wellness strategy. People might go to a spa once a week, or when they’re on vacation, but what about being able to develop it into a daily routine?
AD PRO: Bringing more functionality into the bathroom is definitely an interesting concept considering the amount of time people already spend there.
Dornbracht: Qualifying the time being spent in the bathroom and enhancing [a person’s] quality of life comes from more than simply nice design. What we’ve developed is called LifeSpa—a series of digitally controlled scenarios that can be incorporated into your daily routine. These include the Aquamoon, the Horizontal Shower, the Vertical Shower and Affusion Pipes.
AD PRO: Seeing the Rainmoon in action is beautiful thing, with its changing light features and different jet types. What went into this?
Dornbracht: The Rainmoon, or Aquamoon as it’s known in Europe, was actually inspired by the American light artist James Turrell. We are currently redesigning it for America because of the water restrictions in California and other states. But this is the kind of product that was derived from our research surrounding health and, more specifically, bliss—which is something science doesn’t quite know how to deal with. There are studies that show how moments of bliss affect your mental health, and it’s something we believe in.
AD PRO: It doesn’t take a scientist, or much research at all, to understand how self-care and a little pampering affects a person’s well-being.
Dornbracht: Absolutely. Our Affusion Pipe and WaterTube, for example, [were derived from] technology used in professional spas for treatments on the extremities. It’s technology that was developed 150 years ago in Germany by a doctor treating patients with circulation issues. It not only relaxes your muscles but strengthens your immune system, and we believe they should be in every shower for both daily invigoration and relaxation. With the Affusion Pipe, the water is without pressure and can be used for the face; it’s something the cosmetic beauty industry knows is beneficial, and now it’s something that can be used at home. We also recently introduced the Foot Bath, which is uniquely designed with two functions: “Vitalize” to stimulate the nervous system, and “Relax” to relieve stress and calm circulation.
AD PRO: It seems like we’re talking about a new approach to residential bathroom design—centered around the untapped benefits of water, so to speak.
Dornbracht: It’s an interesting time to explore what water can do for you. Up to this point [within the bathroom] water has been a means for dissolving and transporting dirt away. Now, we’re talking about the effects of water on the skin, for metabolism, and the immune system. It’s an opportunity for designers and architects to bring added value to the bathroom—not only through nice design and style but through performance and the effects of water.
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