Philippe Starck’s elegant, ergonomic tap design for Axor

Blending streamlined style with serious water conservation, Philippe Starck’s new Axor Organic collection for Hansgrohe brings fluid simplicity to the bathroom suite with a gentle, elegant shape inspired by the natural world.

But the real beauty, as with most things, comes from within. Starck collaborated with Hansgrohe’s technicians on a revolutionary spray technology that consists of 90 individual jets. The delicate waterfall covers a larger surface area than a conventional flow, making it both efficient and light to the touch – it gives the feeling of more water while using less. In fact, the Axor Starck Organic collection sets a new standard, consuming only 3.5 litres of water per minute, compared to the average 6 litres (a special ‘boost’ setting can increase the flow to 5 litres per minute if necessary).

What’s more, a temperature-preset function at the top of the unit means you can choose to keep to an energy-saving cool setting, while still adjusting for hotter water when required.

Starck’s intuitive design taps into our lust for all things ergonomic. He’s put the flow control at the mouth of the spout, so your hands are ready and waiting for the water to emerge – not the other way around. Turning the tap off at the spout also means you’re likely to get fewer water drops on the chrome.

It’s refreshing to see a designer tackle water conservation. And even finer when he elevates form in the process.