BATHROOM ACCESSORIES FALL 2012 - Maukner

FALL 2012
NEW
NORM
BATH
BATHROOM ACCESSORIES
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INSPIRED
BY THE
HANDS OF
TIME AND
THE
FORCES OF
NATURE
SINCE THE BEGINNING OF CIVILIZATION, MINIMALISM HAS BEEN
THE NORM IN MANY CULTURES ALL OVER THE GLOBE. PEOPLE
HAVE STRIVED VOLUNTARILY FOR MATERIAL POVERTY IN THE
QUEST FOR INNER LUXURY. AVOIDING THE IRRELEVANT MEANS
EMPHASISING THE IMPORTANT. THUS, REDUCTION AND
PERFECTION HAVE BEEN THE MAIN GOALS FOR BOTH
CRAFTSMEN AND INVENTORS.
ALL TOO OFTEN PEOPLE THINK OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
IN TERMS OF ADDED SPECTACULARNESS. BUT IT IS OFTEN THE
PLAIN OR THE REDUCED THAT IS MOST STRIKING.
WE BALANCE THE VISUAL, THE TACTILE AND THE SENSUAL TO
CREATE AN UNUSUAL BUT HARMONIOUS EXPERIENCE. WE
BRIDGE THE MASCULINE AND THE FEMININE WITH AN
OBSESSIVE ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND WE AIM AT CREATING
FUNCTIONAL OBJECTS THAT NOT ONLY MEET YOUR NEEDS,
BUT ALSO PROVIDE JOY. WE CALL IT SOFT MINIMALISM.
THE SIMPLE SHAPES FOR THE NEW NORM BATH PRODUCTS ARE
INSPIRED BY PERFECTLY ROUNDED STONES SHAPED BY THE
FORCES OF NATURE AND CUT BY MAN.
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TIMELESS QUALITY
BATH
ROOMS
CHANGE
TENDENCIES COME AND GO AND
BATHROOMS CHANGE WITH THE
ZEITGEIST
However, New Norm strives for
timelessness in all its aspects.
Products should not only be durable
because they are made from strong
materials and good craftsmanship. They
should also be aesthetically lasting in the
sense that you can keep on looking at
them and still find them interesting and
beautiful over time.
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RAW TACTILITY
THE
BLACK
VERSION
THE DESIGNERS BEHIND NEW NORM BATH ARE JONAS
BJERRE-POULSEN AND KASPER RØNN, AKA NORM.
THIS STYLE DUO WORSHIPS MINIMALISM AND
FUNCTIONALITY AND ENDEAVOURS TO DESIGN
PRODUCTS THAT MEET REAL-LIFE NEEDS WHILE AT THE
SAME TIME PLEASE ALL OUR SENSES. THESE AMBITIONS
ARE SUCCESSFULLY COMBINED IN NORM’S NEW BATH
SERIES FOR MENU. ALL REDUNDANT ELEMENTS HAVE
BEEN STRIPPED AWAY, LEAVING ONLY A CLEAN LOOK
AND A STRAIGHTFORWARD USEFULNESS.
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WHI
TE
ELE
GANCE
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ALL
THAT
GLITTERS
IS
BR ASS
LIMITED EDITION
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EVOLVE TO SOLVE
PEDAL BIN
EVOLUTION
WE BELIEVE THAT GOOD DESIGN IS NOT NECESSARILY BASED ON A REVOLU-
TION OR THE MOST RADICAL OF SOLUTIONS. WE HAVE ALL COME ABOUT AS
A CONSEQUENCE OF EVOLUTION: THE SLOW, BUT STEADY INCREMENTAL
INNOVATION KNOWN AS MANKIND. BY ADDING NEW FEATURES TO EXIST-
ING PRODUCTS, WE CAN MAKE THEM EVEN BETTER. IMPROVEMENT IS KEY.
Having said that, we are continuously
on the prowl for that new idea, that
underrated production-method, that
perfect material or detail that justifies
a new product.
When we first started talking about
bathroom-related products that needed
improvement, the nuisances of the
pedal-bin immediately came to mind.
You know, that annoying “clonk” of the
lid banging against the wall the second
after you step on the pedal!
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We somehow had to counter this, and
decided to design a beautiful “clonk-free”
pedal-bin. This, however, was no mere
matter of finding a standard bracket out
there. Hours and hours of engineering
were spent to come up with a mechanism
able to make the lid open within its
own perimeter. Along the way, the
solution came to support our minimalist
aesthetics and search for optimal hygiene
in that we were able to hide the bracket
inside the bin. This is our pedal-bin
evolution!
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DELIBERATE DETAILS
FUNCTIONALITY
THAT
COMES
IN HANDY
When discussing function we always relate back to real needs or problems we
encounter in our everyday lives. The creative process often begins with the question
of how we can solve a given problem through products. Our aim is to ease or beautify
a process through design.
Minimalism and aesthetics is not everything. The New Norm Bath series holds a vast
amount of small details catering to both improved hygiene and everyday functionality.
Large clean surfaces dominate the products and make sure that joints and
compositions are kept at a minimum. A tiny grid in the bottom of the toothbrush
holder keeps your toothbrush dry, a make-up mirror is hidden on the inside of the
storage jar and details that at first seem irrelevant, like how you place a bag in the bin
or the size of the soap dispenser, have been subject to endless scrutiny from a
functional perspective.
SMALL MAKE-UP MIRROR INSIDE
THE LID.
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MATERIAL IMPORTANCE
STAINLESS
QUALITY
GREAT DESIGN ALSO HAS TO HAVE A COMPETITIVE EDGE AND VALUE-FOR-
MONEY IS NOT TO BE UNDERRATED. CONSUMERS MUST BE LEFT WITH AN
EXPERIENCE THAT EXCEEDS THEIR EXPECTATIONS.
Consequently, we must be up-to-speed on mass-production. How factories
work and how you make the most of your materials and commodities at hand.
This is exemplified by the subtle curve of the New Norm Bath products. This
curve is a direct consequence of the nature of steel, because of the fact that a
curved steel surface is way more stable and easier to produce than a flat steel
surface.
Relating to form, the curve is a quite sympathetic detail, which at the same
time stabilizes the lid. However, this is not dictated by us but by production.
The curve becomes the embodiment of the continuous interaction between our
ideas, the production-apparatus and market prices.
The moist environment of bathrooms set high standards for the materials used.
Thus, stainless steel is the prime material for the entire series.
No rust or patina in sight.
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BOTH BODY AND LID IN
STAINLESS STEEL.
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SMOOTH ELEGANCE
THE
WHITE
VERSION
THE STYLISH SERIES COMPRISES FIVE ITEMS:
PEDAL BIN, TOILET BRUSH, SOAP DISPENSER, TOOTH-
BRUSH HOLDER AND A SMALL STORAGE JAR WITH
A MIRROR. THE ITEMS SHARE THE SAME SHAPE AND
CHARACTERISTIC ROUNDED BASE, GIVING THEM LIGHT-
NESS WITHOUT COMPROMISING STABILITY. ALL ITEMS
STAND FIRMLY AND SECURELY IN PLACE. CLEAN LINES
AND SIMPLE FUNCTIONALITY MAKE THE ITEMS EASY TO
CLEAN AND USE.
Bathing is all about purity and simplicity.
A bath is a really refreshing, cleansing and
exotic treat.
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DESIGN PORTRAIT
Q&A
NORM
ARCHITECTS
LIKE THE MODERNISTS WHO TOOK A VIEW TO THE WORLD IN ORDER TO FIND AN AES-
THETIC TO LIBERATE THEM FROM THE PETTY SYMBOLISM AND PASTRY-LIKE ORNA-
MENTATION THAT DOMINATED WESTERN FORM, JONAS BJERRE-POULSEN AND KASPER
RØNN, AKA NORM, LOOK TO THE PAST AND THE FAR EAST TO BECOME INSPIRED. HERE,
THEY FIND TRADITIONAL AND REFINED STYLES THAT LET FUNCTIONS, MATERIALS AND
LIVED LIVES TELL THEIR DISTINCT TALES. A REACTION TO A WASTEFUL DESIGNCULTURE
DROWNING ITS OWN DESIGN IN HUMOUR.
DO YOU FEEL ANY PRESSURE FROM YOUR
SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN HERITAGE?
We started out not being conscious of the design
heritage that we had been exposed to our whole
lives. We were just aesthetically interested in our
surroundings and had an inner urge to create.
Blessed with ignorance, we did not experience
any pressure whatsoever. Our awareness of
Danish design came slowly through the formative
years and since then the media has been screaming
for new designers to lift the heritage from the 1950’s.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MOST SYMPATHETIC
QUALITY OF SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN?
Timelessness – a true virtue in Scandinavian
Design. Trends come and go but the
Scandinavian tradition is rooted in a sincere
devotion to the crafts, with a strong focus on
using good materials and creating designs that
last. Because of this, it is very difficult to see if a
good piece of Scandinavian design is made in the
1950’s or today. We feel this focus on quality and
durability is increasingly important in a time of
scarce resources and mass consumption in a
global perspective.
DOES SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN OWE ITS
SUCCESS TO ANYONE OR ANYTHING?
Well, we definitely acknowledge the importance
of the great craftsmanship, which is deeply
rooted in a profound understanding of materials
and methods. We too spend much time studying
production methods, so that we, in the design
process, know how products will be mass-produced.
We take this into account when shaping
an object, using the restrictions of machines to
our advantage and always considering how we
use the material in its most natural way.
DO YOU DESIGN FROM A “LESS IS MORE”
PERSPECTIVE?
Well, not quite! In most Scandinavian design,
you will find details that take the product beyond
the strictly simple – we work with this very
intensely – trying to keep a product as simple as
possible but still making it interesting. We aim at
a point where there is nothing to add and
nothing to take away.
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ON THE
DRAWING
BOARD
WE ARE CONSTANTLY DEVELOPING NEW IDEAS TO
COMPLETE THE NEW NORM BATH UNIVERSE.
HERE ARE A FEW SKETCHES AND IDEAS FOR FUTURE
PRODUCTS. A LAUNDRY BASKET IN FELT. A MINIMALIST
SHOWER WIPER AND A TOILET ROLL HOLDER. A
PLAYFULL HOOK THAT CAN FORM DOTTED LINES
IN ANY DIRECTION AND A LADDER WITH FELT BAGS
THAT LOOK LIKE TOWELS, A MIRROR AND OTHER
FUNCTIONAL ACCESSORIES.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
VISIT
US
AT
WWW.MENU.AS
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MENU A/S
KONGEVEJEN 2
DK-3480 FREDENSBORG
DENMARK
PH +45 4840 6100
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WWW.MENU.AS
“If your lord wishes to bathe and wash his body
clean, hang sheets round the roof, every one full of
flowers and sweet green herbs, and have five or six
sponges to sit or lean upon, and see that you have
one big sponge to sit upon, and a sheet over so that
he may bathe there for a while, and have a sponge
also for his feet, if there be any to spare, and always
be careful that the door is shut. Have a basin full
of hot fresh herbs and wash his body with a soft
sponge, rinse him with fair warm rose-water, and
throw it over him; then let him go to bed; but see
that the bed be sweet and nice; and first put on his
socks and slippers that he may go near the fire and
stand on his foot-sheet, wipe him dry with a clean
cloth, and take him to bed to cure his troubles.”
How the Wise Man Taught His Son
Lambeth 853, fol. 186
254