Hong Kong architect William Lim brings an Asian sensibility to bathroom design with the elegant ‘Bonsai’ tap series. Calling on the miniature and manicured aesthetics of a bonsai tree, the faucet becomes a work of art that makes for a Zen bathroom idea.
The fluid forms of the tap appear as if frozen in motion, intertwining contemporary sculpture references with an everyday functionality. Miniature artworks in their own right, the pieces encompass the beauty of nature while celebrating Eastern aesthetics and modern lifestyle. The taps come in a choice of finishes, from chrome to gunmetal and matte black, with a range of golds including light, dark and creamy champagne adding a luxurious edge.
The sensuous design of the pieces – the taps appear as if molded to the hand – is accentuated by the waterfall platform they are placed on, with one knob controlling temperature and the other the volume of water, which comes out in a waterfall spout. The forms of the bonsai itself are celebrated; the small plants, along with their accompanying miniature rock forms and water arrangements, are reflected in the taps, which translate this heritage into a design-led tribute to Asian culture.
For Lim, the project is the intersection between architecture, humanities, and art. He draws on both his extensive architectural background as founder of CL3 Architects and the large-scale installations he has produced during his career as an artist, for these pieces that merge the boundaries of architecture and art. ‘Architects have a social obligation to improve urban environments,’ he says. ‘Architecture is about people. I always feel that architects are only doing part of the job – the rest is really shaped by the occupant using the space. We treat every project as a unique challenge and pay attention to every single detail – from architecture to interior to furniture – to create human-oriented and quality designs with artistic value.’
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