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Every day, these magical fountains spit out precious water, without asking for anything in return. The thing is, it is just not that simple — with today’s hands-free sensors and water conservation technology, modern faucets are unfathomably complicated, which is why we have decided to step in!
From specifying an appropriate bathroom faucet for your next project to Kohler Co.’s transformative role in the faucet industry, here’s our round-up of everything architects need to know about faucets.
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Primers
Fashion designer Jason Wu’s matte-black line for Brizo, image via Home IQ
“The 20th century saw the development of the single-handed faucet by Al Moen, which allowed users to control temperature and volume from the same handle rather than having to turn two handles to separately release hot and cold water. How exactly does that work? Don’t ask me! It’s complicated. And thanks to infrared hands-free sensors and water conservation technology, modern state-of-the-art faucets are actually really, really complicated. But they can also do some pretty amazing things. This week’s articles are to help you understand them a little better.” Check out the full story here.
Axor Starck Organic by Hansgrohe
How to Specify: Bathroom Faucets
“Consider what the priorities are for your project: Are you looking for a high-end, high-quality aesthetic, or something more economical? Do you want the faucet to blend in with the surrounding interior, or stand out as a design feature? Is accessibility an important consideration for your client? Perhaps you could utilize technology to provide a positive environmental impact, in the form of a water-saving device.” Check out the full story here.
Video by DXV American Standard
Behind the Design: How 3-D Printed Metal Faucets Are Crafted
“American Standard is one company that’s pushing the boundaries of 3-D printing with the future of faucet design. Over the past several years, they have created three unique metal faucets for their luxury DXV line using direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) — a machineless method that gives way to complex and integrated features on standard objects. These designs, while pricey, unveil the probability that 3-D printing has a place in the creation of everyday household products.” Check out the full story here.
Inspiration
Tara Collection by Dornbracht; image via Dornbracht
8 Gorgeous Matte Black Faucets to Accent Your Cleanest Designs
“While there are many things to think about in choosing a bathroom or kitchen faucet, one of the main considerations will always be aesthetics. After years of chrome being the coolest thing, matte black faucets are now all the rage, and deservedly so. They add just the right amount of eye candy to any space: Not too much bling, while still being sleek and contemporary. In this collection, you will discover eight stellar products fetched directly from your chicest dreams. Each one will leave others with just the right amount of faucet envy!” Check out the full story here.
Case Studies
Ritual for AXOR by David Adjaye; image via Dezeen
Go With the Flow: 5 Faucets Fashioned by Famous Architects
“British architect David Adjaye, principal of Adjaye Associates, designed a signature faucet for AXOR under the direction of the brand’s WaterDream project, which called on lead designers to create unusual objects to challenge industry norms. Ritual features a tilted bronze spout in which a stream of flat water flows underneath a block of black granite inlay. The crisp design and resulting water flow give the faucet a natural and timeless elegance.” Check out the full story here.
Images of the Swirl faucet via Behance
Spiraling Out: This Water-Saving Faucet Could Be Mistaken for Crystal Glassware
“Close your eyes, tap in and imagine today’s most fabulous faucets. If you visualized luxurious sculptural hardware, it is entirely understandable. From Zaha Hadid Design’s ZH Triflow Quadro Kitchen Tap to American Standard’s 3-D-Printed Metal Faucets, faucet glory is often derived from the brilliance of the hardware itself, rather than that of the water streaming out. Yet Simin Qiu, who graduated with a master’s in Product Design from London’s Royal College of Art in 2015 and is now the Senior Product Designer at Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, dares you to redirect your attention.” Check out the full story here.
The Aquifer Filtration System reduces contaminants like lead, mercury, chlorine and pharmaceuticals through a filter made of ground-up, biodegradable coconut shells; GIF via Kohler
Faucet Focus: How One Brand Continues to Transform the Tap
“A business like Kohler Co. — arguably one of the most powerful private companies in the United States — understands this better than most and has built up a killer portfolio of quality faucets as a result. They have maintained an unwavering presence as one of the country’s leading plumbing-product manufacturers for 144 years and recently received the 2017 US Water Prize for their water conservation efforts. Kohler’s vast line of products, from kitchen and bathroom hardware to tiles and cabinets, can be found in homes and office buildings across America, making them an indispensable part of everyday life.” Check out the full story here.
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Having a nightmare specifying the ideal faucets for your latest project? Save time, money and your sanity by searching on Architizer’s community marketplace for building-products. Click here for more information.