For us, the bathroom always remains an analog, sensual place.

How important is the bathroom in your home? Have you noticed a change? (How long have you been doing this?)

For a long time, the private bathroom was a purely functional space. As society became more affluent, the bathroom became an aesthetic space with different requirements. The changing importance of the bathroom is also reflected in the real estate market. Daylight bathrooms, baths and showers, heated towel rails: details like these are very important to buyers and tenants today. The bathroom has thus become a living space, a reflection of personality. It is on an equal footing with the other rooms and therefore requires just as much attention when it comes to design - both in terms of content and aesthetics. It is not without reason that many people affectionately call their own bathroom their personal oasis of well-being. This is basically an exciting design task.

What do you think makes a good bathroom for private use?

For me, a good, private bathroom is a space that reflects my own personality. Where I can be myself and find peace and quiet. The perception parameters of our society have changed. They are characterized by more interaction with our environment and digitalization. We take in an incredible amount of information, news and images. It's a total flood that overwhelms us to a certain extent. The bathroom should be a bit of an antithesis to the virtual world. A place where haptic experiences and our own physical presence take center stage. Diversity is therefore also very important in the bathroom. People and their lifestyles have become so different that there is no longer one perfect bathroom. Bathrooms are as individual as the people themselves, as are their ideas and dreams. And so everyone has a different idea of the perfect bathroom. 

How important is the topic of light in bathroom planning?

A well thought-out lighting concept contributes to a sense of well-being in the bathroom and can create an intimate, personal atmosphere. It helps you to get fit more quickly in the morning and relax better in the evening. Various products can help with this. For example, lights that work with different lighting scenarios and thus adapt to the daily routine and support the natural biorhythm. Clever lighting design and energy-saving LED lighting can also save electricity. When it comes to lighting, more and more individuality is possible and the courage to create unusual lighting installations is growing among consumers.

What role does sustainability play in your concepts? Is awareness and demand behavior currently changing?

Sustainability plays a major role in our projects. We see it as our responsibility to take care of the materials we use in our projects. Be it in terms of durability, ecological footprint or aesthetics. The materials in bathrooms have to withstand many different aggregate states such as high humidity or different heat levels. It is therefore advantageous to use materials that take advantage of the climate in the bathroom and, for example, store heat or utilize moisture. Breathable plaster or clay plaster surfaces or even a green bathroom are examples of how indoor air quality can be improved. Water can be saved by using intelligent pipe systems or a shower with intelligent water control. In the future, smart technologies will invisibly control the consumption of resources and increase comfort in the bathroom. As architects, we can influence users by critically questioning certain requirements during the consultation and examining them in terms of sustainability.

Apart from the technical/sanitary equipment, how does the design of a bathroom differ from the design of other (living) spaces?

The identity and very personal preferences of our customers play a central role in each of our projects. With the exception of the bedroom, the bathroom is the most intimate place within one's own four walls, usually only seen by people close to them. Here, everyone follows their very own rituals, which we try to incorporate and implement in the interior design. Another challenge when designing the bathroom is that some elements are indispensable. Skilfully integrating these into a creative overall concept is also part of bathroom design. This is what makes our work here so interesting.

The bathroom is an intimate space where you can focus on yourself

Where do you go for inspiration? How important is the world's leading trade fair ISH in Frankfurt in terms of bathroom planning and architecture? Are you coming to Frankfurt in March 2023?

As a world-renowned trade fair in the sanitary sector, the ISH is naturally a very important place to gather new inspiration and exchange ideas with other visitors and exhibitors. I'll be at ISH on March 13 and will be at the hansgrohe stand all day. The hansgrohe dream baths designed by us will have their world premiere at the ISH. That's why the trade fair is particularly exciting for me this year.

How inspiring do you find the current product world of sanitary companies? What do you miss?

In general, I find the change in the function of the bathroom and bathroom design very exciting. Otherwise, just stop by the hansgrohe stand and let yourself be inspired. In the dream bands, we show that a bathroom doesn't just have to be a shower and mirror, but can be an exciting and unusual living space.

Smart technologies, sustainability, wellbeing and emotional staging: Which factors will play a decisive role in bathroom planning in the future and why?

The bathroom offers great potential for the use of intelligent technologies and surfaces that are sustainable and customizable. Digitalization is changing the way we look at many topics, but for us, the bathroom will always remain an analogue, sensual place. A place that fulfills our longing for ourselves, for our own identity. Technology must therefore remain invisible and a matter of course. Many people create their own oasis of well-being in their bathroom - a space to relax and linger. This is why the focus will be even more on individual design in the future. Away from pure functionality and towards an aesthetic space. However, sustainability should not be neglected, as it is increasingly becoming the focus of many consumers. Climate, environment, social justice, recyclability and circular economy are some of the important facets of sustainable design that play a major role in the selection of bathroom materials.

The bathroom is increasingly becoming a lifestyle room. How can the bathroom be made homely?

The bathroom is an intimate space where you spend time with yourself. Accordingly, it is important to design it according to your own needs and wishes in order to feel comfortable. And these are as individual as the person themselves. A feel-good place where you enjoy spending time is a place where your own personality is reflected and where you feel safe and secure. Be it through colors, shapes, materials, light or the room layout. All of this can be adapted to suit your own wishes and needs. Users are becoming increasingly bold in their individual design and personal items help to portray their identity. The concept of the bathroom as a living space, rather than a pure tiled hell, helps to make the bathroom feel homely.

What will the bathroom of the future look like / What will the bathroom look like in 20-30 years?

There are trends in our society that apply to everything. Rooms are losing their boundaries, as we have seen in the ratio of kitchen to dining room to living room. This can now also be seen in the bathroom to bedroom ratio. The significance of the bathroom as an important place in the home and not just as a functional space will tend to increase. There is also a fundamental longing to experience nature. This will continue to be a major theme over the next five to ten years, regardless of whether it is natural materials or materials that work with the image. Sustainability will continue to be an important decision criterion for users. And interactive surfaces are likely to play a central role. In terms of design, there will probably be everything so that I can tailor my bathroom even more to my personality in future.

Where do you go for inspiration? How important is the world's leading trade fair ISH in Frankfurt in terms of bathroom planning and architecture? Are you coming to Frankfurt in March 2023?

As a world-renowned trade fair in the sanitary sector, the ISH is naturally a very important place to gather new inspiration and exchange ideas with other visitors and exhibitors. I'll be at ISH on March 13 and will be at the hansgrohe stand all day. The hansgrohe dream baths designed by us will have their world premiere at the ISH. That's why the trade fair is particularly exciting for me this year.

How inspiring do you find the current product world of sanitary companies? What do you miss?

In general, I find the change in the function of the bathroom and bathroom design very exciting. Otherwise, just stop by the hansgrohe stand and let yourself be inspired. In the dream bands, we show that a bathroom doesn't just have to be a shower and mirror, but can be an exciting and unusual living space.

Smart technologies, sustainability, wellbeing and emotional staging: Which factors will play a decisive role in bathroom planning in the future and why?

The bathroom offers great potential for the use of intelligent technologies and surfaces that are sustainable and customizable. Digitalization is changing the way we look at many topics, but for us, the bathroom will always remain an analogue, sensual place. A place that fulfills our longing for ourselves, for our own identity. Technology must therefore remain invisible and a matter of course. Many people create their own oasis of well-being in their bathroom - a space to relax and linger. This is why the focus will be even more on individual design in the future. Away from pure functionality and towards an aesthetic space. However, sustainability should not be neglected, as it is increasingly becoming the focus of many consumers. Climate, environment, social justice, recyclability and circular economy are some of the important facets of sustainable design that play a major role in the selection of bathroom materials.

The bathroom is increasingly becoming a lifestyle room. How can the bathroom be made homely?

The bathroom is an intimate space where you spend time with yourself. Accordingly, it is important to design it according to your own needs and wishes in order to feel comfortable. And these are as individual as the person themselves. A feel-good place where you enjoy spending time is a place where your own personality is reflected and where you feel safe and secure. Be it through colors, shapes, materials, light or the room layout. All of this can be adapted to suit your own wishes and needs. Users are becoming increasingly bold in their individual design and personal items help to portray their identity. The concept of the bathroom as a living space, rather than a pure tiled hell, helps to make the bathroom feel homely.

What will the bathroom of the future look like / What will the bathroom look like in 20-30 years?

There are trends in our society that apply to everything. Rooms are losing their boundaries, as we have seen in the ratio of kitchen to dining room to living room. This can now also be seen in the bathroom to bedroom ratio. The significance of the bathroom as an important place in the home and not just as a functional space will tend to increase. There is also a fundamental longing to experience nature. This will continue to be a major theme over the next five to ten years, regardless of whether it is natural materials or materials that work with the image. Sustainability will continue to be an important decision criterion for users. And interactive surfaces are likely to play a central role. In terms of design, there will probably be everything so that I can tailor my bathroom even more to my personality in future.