Page 36 - Designing Ways 264

BATHROOMS

Cenote and

Cenote Lava.

Patricia Urquiola's new

textured washbasins
for Agape

gape's well-being space is enriched
with the surprising textural
Avibrations of two new circular
countertop washbasins, Cenote and
Cenote Lava, designed by Patricia
Urquiola. A new magnetic presence in the
bathroom, which Agape envisions as an
architecture of the senses modeled on the craftsmanship, generating an object of Cenote Lava
desires of its inhabitants. living, timeless beauty. This is a monolith of Sicilian lava stone,
An ancient natural cave and source of worked with a CNC system and then fired
fresh water, for pre-Columbian cultures Cenote at 1100°C, which conveys a rough and
the cenote was a place of mystical Made of natural or dark refractory clay powerful appeal. The contours of the basin
significance. Now, Urquiola draws moulded by hand on the potter's wheel, evoke visual and tactile emotions, further
inspiration from it for an evocative this is a washbasin that expresses itself highlighted by the almost sculptural
interpretation of the wash basin. The two outside the usual decorative paradigms. craftsmanship that brings the circular
product series experiments with natural The craftsmanship of the refractory leaves shape out of the stone. The basin recalls
materials - fireclay for Cenote and lava the outer surface deliberately rough: an essential architectural composition,
stone for Cenote Lava - and different in a play of contrasts, it then reveals a characterised by a truncated-conical
manual processes that make each piece a polished and glazed interior in striking base that detaches the basin from the
unique, distinctive, and precious object. colours that evoke the transparent, warm countertop, emphasising its volumes.
The unpredictable small imperfections white and blue shades of Mexican water
in craft and material speak a language basins. The dimensions
deliberately at odds with the homogeneity Cenote's formal composition draws Cenote and Cenote Lava come in two
and perfection that often define on an architectural vocabulary: a four sizes: 420 millimeters in diameter by 182
contemporary aesthetics. Deeply attuned centimetre high collar, reminiscent of millimeters in height and 450 millimeters
to Agape's vision, Urquiola’s design skirting or crown moulding, emphasizes in diameter by 124 millimeters in height.
celebrates that human component a division between the geometries of the dw
in a synthesis of thought and skilled base below and the basin above. agapedesign.it

36 Issue 264 • dw