A New Concept of Well-Being Transforms the Bathroom at Casa Pasarela 2007

The best international companies and designers will come together at the fair between 15th and 18th February

The latest new ideas will go beyond the idea of hygiene in order to make the bathroom an area for promoting health and relaxation, combating the stressful pace of modern life.

A return to nature characterises the latest design trends, based on a harmonious relationship between Man and water.

The main national and international brands from the bathroom sector will be present at Casa Pasarela 2007, which will take place at Feria de Madrid between 15th and 18th February. Visitors will be able to purchase the latest new features from a number of important and prestigious companies, such as Dornbracht, Alape, Arte Bronce, Roca, Laufen, Cosmic, Duravit, Grohe, Axor de Hansgrohe, Jacob Delafon, Bisazza, Saloni, TAU, Sentavi - Sunshower and Regia, among many others. All of these companies make the bathroom a veritable work of art, proposing a return to nature through a combination of relaxation, well-being, functional appeal and the most cutting-edge design.

At this edition, Casa Pasarela will place a special emphasis on the bathroom, based on a series of ideas that are aimed at the most demanding consumer. These products conceive of the bathroom as a key part of the home, one that is designed to promote relaxation and health based on a combination of technology and aesthetic appeal. 

The link with nature is especially strong in the Axor Massaud Collection from Hansgrohe, which has been created to establish a close relationship between the human being and water. The designer's aim is to go beyond the realms of bodily hygiene in order to promote a satisfying sensual and emotional experience. The design by Massaud applies the simple and aesthetically pleasing dimension of nature to the home, making the bathroom a place in which to find refuge from daily routine, enabling users to relax in complete harmony with the elements.

Another of the new features from this German company has been produced by the designers at Phoenix Design, who used the Belle Époque of the early 20th century as their source of inspiration in order to create Axor Montreux. This collection, which takes its name from the prestigious spa, evokes the passion for luxury that was typical of the Belle Époque, combining it with the exclusive appeal of the Axor brand, which means that this product blends in perfectly with both traditional and modern ambiences through a combination of styles.

Dornbracht will present a new product at the fair that is designed to maximise pleasure in the shower, making it the first gift of the day and the last pleasurable sensation at night. The company's Balance Modules simulate natural rainfall and are capable of varying the intensity of the water flow in order create different sensations. In the morning a vigorous downpour will help you to wake up, whilst at night, a relaxing spray will be highly conducive to sleep. As far as the finish is concerned, this model can be combined with all of the tap series offered by the company, which are characterised by their considerable sense of originality.

The prestigious designer, Ross Lovegrove, has drawn inspiration from the cultural and architectural diversity of the City of Istanbul in order to create the Istanbul Collection for Vitra, which will attend Casa Pasarela 2007 alongside Arquitect. This collection introduces a simple approach to bathroom design, one that recalls the past and imagines the future through the prism of this city's rich heritage, which the designer considers to be a living museum, a link between East and West. The items that form part of this collection combine a sense of sensuality with tradition and technology.

The ideas of Jacob Delafon-Kohler pursue a new sense of well-being through the art of bathroom design, one that anticipates the trends of tomorrow and appeals to the five senses, based on the use of hydro-massage, spa features, chromotherapy, aromatherapy and effervescence. His new collections are characterised by their simple lines, diversity and fine materials, not to mention their elegant juxtaposition of colours, thus creating a seductive design that also introduces a high level of technology and an exceptional finish.

The variety of sizes and options in his collections, consisting of ceramic items, enamelled and acrylic baths, taps and wash-basins, cater for individual needs in an entirely personalised manner.

The Laufen exhibit at Casa Pasarela 2007 will feature the participation of BañoFuturo. The star of this area will be the Palomba Collection, an exclusive line of large-format wash-basins that are accompanied by a beautiful range of matching furniture items and refined accessories. Created by Ludovico and Roberto Palomba, the collection consists of seven suggestive models of fluent design. Based on the use of several simple items, multiple individual solutions are proposed.

The same company will also present the series of products known as Alessi and Living at the fair. The first series, created by Alessi Stefano Giovannoni, conveys a sense of sensual poetry, an erotic modern appeal, through its rounded lines. This collection undoubtedly reflects an emotional approach to the idea of innovation. The second series, created by Phoenix Design, offers four completely different styles: contemporary design, a modern interpretation of a country-based style, a pure and functional architectural approach and a cutting-edge luxury appeal.

The company Alape, aims to "give shape to space" by creating a series of pure forms of geometric precision, in which respect the brand gives considerable importance to its materials, such as glass-lined steel. Its products are created by means of a component-based system, thus providing a greater sense of freedom and individuality regarding bathroom decoration. Furthermore, the brand's products are characterised by their robustness, durability, chromatic appeal and pure design.

Catalano will present its Zero, C and Verso series, which make up a large family of wash-basins, toilets and bidets. These products aim to enhance quality of life through a series of comfortable and convenient solutions. Each item is rubbed gently with a sponge by hand before the enamel is applied in order to create an exceptionally smooth finish.

For its part, D'Oliva Terra will present its sober and exquisitely refined line of XO taps. These items of simple and cutting-edge design abound with personality in every detail. Minimalism and subtle appeal are capable of creating a surprisingly elegant ambience. These items present all the freshness and sophistication of the most contemporary design, based on pure and organic lines. All of the components are made of stainless steel, a fine material that guarantees long life.

The bathrooms created by Ideal Standard will also be present at the fair through the auspices of Ferretería Ortiz. The ambiences established by these creations always seek to ensure that the different bathroom items convey a harmonious sense of design that is also functional.

The Creation of Attractive Ambiences Through the Use of Materials

The manufacturer of coverings and linings, Tino, will present its Metal Collection, based on the use of basaltic stone, sandstone and slate in an extensive selection of colours, ranging from black to grey and even including dark green and coppery tones. The natural varieties of stone employed have a pumiced and slightly polished finish, thus ensuring that the surfaces are functional without losing any of their sense of originality. Use of these materials enhances the sense of space in the bathroom, without overlooking the practical appeal that all coverings and linings should provide. They are also characterised by their considerable durability and resistance to knocks and to heat, which makes them ideal for surfaces that are frequently used.

With this collection, the Spanish company proposes a series of monochromatic ambiences that convey a sense of balance and purity, based on a highly modern industrial appeal.

The Valencian company, Azuvi, which will be taking part at Casa Pasarela for the first time, will present its latest projects at the fair: Neo, which introduces a combination of original leather graphics and metallic finishes to the ceramics sector; Ethnic, which bases its appeal on a combination of textiles and wood effect; and Dibelgio, a faithful reproduction of a type of natural stone from Europe that has some highly characteristic features. Due to their discreet and uniform appeal, these approaches can be used to create many different styles and ambiences.

For its part, Saloni will present its revolutionary product known as Lammax, a porcelain-based ceramic lamina for the manufacture of furniture, one that is characterised by being harder than granite but lighter than aluminium. At the same time, this material is highly resistant to atmospheric agents and chemical products, as well as being versatile, environmentally-friendly and recyclable.
 
It can be handled and employed with the same technologies as those used for glass, ceramics and natural stone.  Teresa Sapey has been commissioned to carry out the decoration project for Casa Pasarela.

The brand, Listone Giordano, will take part at the fair alongside the Italian company, Margaritelli. By combining nature and technology, this company re-invents the bathroom with a modular system that combines vertical and horizontal planes, offering raised surfaces and revealing a new sense of volume, The natural appeal of the finest wood is combined with aluminium and glass.

The Spanish company, TAU, will also be present at the fair with the cutting-edge designs that form part of its TAU Advanced brand. This collection proposes a number of new and non-conventional solutions and uses for ceramics in order to shift prevailing opinions and create a series of new sensations.

Another exhibitor, Piba Marmi, will propose a world of elegance and sobriety through a series of marble-based coverings and linings of modern appeal, based on varieties of marble imported from India and Brazil, as well as the classic Travertine and Botticino varieties.

In short, Casa Pasarela 2007 will provide a showcase for a number of ideas that have one eye on the future, a forum where brands, in conjunction with prominent designers, are able to illustrate the "art of living" through a series of novel trends. The coincidence of this event with ARCO, the International Contemporary Art Fair, and Pasarela Cibeles, will make Madrid a world capital of art and design.