Preface —
Modern bathrooms are more than a simple summary of planning and installation of tabs, showers and matching piping systems. Today, the room—which was for a long time a purely functional wet cell and neglected in terms of design—became a place of wellbeing, relaxation and regeneration. Besides the upgrade in both functional and product aspects, the bathroom developed over the last years more and more into a reflection of individual (composition) requests and (design) preferences. Along with this development, sales persons and planners are confronted with new demands. They need to advise discerning customers not only in terms of the right product choice but also in regards to the aesthetic impact of a bathroom. This design lexicon serves both consultants and enthusiasts as a reference guide for design. However, it is not a claim to completeness—but as a competent basis for a professional dialogue it explains the different expressions in the areas of architecture, design and of the different AXOR collections.
is achieved through a targeted aesthetic presentation and stands for the atmosphere created by a space.
ACCESSORIES Borrowed from the French and used mostly in the plural, this collective term describes additional ⁄ decorative and ⁄ or functional equipment (from French “accessoires”). “Accessory” actually describes a not-necessary-but- adapted-to-the-fashion style, arrangement or image composition additional by-product. Accessories are used primarily in fashion design to set accents that are highly trend-dependent. In interior design, accessories such as textiles, decorative items, pictures, candles, vases and, in the bathroom, ad- ditional functional (soap) dishes, towels, mirrors or purely decorative design elements for the wall are used to achieve consistency of a design concept or look (compare: AXOR Accessories). AESTHETICS ⁄ AESTHETIC Aesthetics is the theory of the sensual perception (from Greek “aesthesis” = perception). Therefore, it doesn’t mean beautiful by itself, but the doctrine of regularity and basics of the beautiful (harmony), as can be perceived in nature or art. Additionally, it analyzes whether the aesthetic features can be seen as objectively given or if beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This approach focuses less on personal taste than on the generally human or generally societal perception of what is considered as beautifully (compare: Golden Ratio). In everyday speech, the term is often used as a synonym for beautiful, balanced, tasteful, appealing. In the true sense of the word, however, “aesthetic” describes all the characteristics which we experience with our senses and which determine how we perceive our environment and objects—particularly whether we perceive them as beautiful or ugly. Balanced proportions, regular or layered forms and harmonious color combinations are often considered particularly aesthetic, beautiful and pleasant. How we perceive beauty may be partly rooted in biology, but it is also acquired culturally and sociologically (as defined by our personal environment). The same number of factors determine whether we perceive a design as being aesthetic or aesthetically convincing or not. In some cultures, clean and harmoniously proportioned shapes are considered beautiful while in other cultures however beauty means rich ornamentation. AMB I E NC E The term ambience (from Latin “ambio” = surrounded or enclosed) means “surrounding environment” or “setting” in the sense of a special atmosphere exuded by a decór, a space or a piece of art. In interior design, ambience
A R C H E T Y P E The term “archetype” comes originally from psychology or philosophy and—referring to psychologist C. G. Jung—indicates the primal image of being or original images, which are the compositions of (pre) human fundamental experiences and, all in all, represent the basis of the personality structure. An archetype (from Greek “arche” = beginning, and “typos” = imprint; meaning original model, mold) can be a shape that is embedded in our cultural memory and which is an example of or a symbol for a specific function. For many of us, a house still has a rectangular ground plan and a gabled roof, even though a variety of other house types exist today. Philippe Starck employed a bucket of water as an archetype. The water pump served him as an original model for the faucets of the AXOR Starck Collection. In product design, archetypes are forms that establish or embody a new product class. For example, cross handles represent the handles of a faucet (compare: AXOR Montreux), the Porsche 911 represents the sports car, Mart Stam’s “S34” steel-tube chair (1926) represents the cantilever chair, etc. ARCHITECTURE ⁄ ARCHITECTONICS ⁄ ARCHITECTONIC Architecture (from Greek “arché” = beginning, origin, base, the first, and “téchne” = art, handcraft) describes the crafted occupation and aesthetic examination of humans with the built space. Architecture is one of the oldest art forms of human civilization. Today, the lines between functional buildings and architecture are blurred: Department stores, concert halls, churches and apartments are regarded equally worthy of the design process. The connection between architecture and geometry is as old as architecture itself. The concept of architecture as both shell and constructive framework, and the idea of axiality (alignment with the axes), find their source in Roman antiquity. These principles have been continually refined and are today expressed through modern construction materials such as steel framing, concrete, glass etc. Space is designed in terms of dimension, proportion, form and composition. The term “architectural” covers anything that creates a space and cannot be dissociated from it—both in terms of construction and design. In product design, architectural composition is based mostly on geometric (basic) shapes. Straight, non-expressive, purist
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