STYLEPARK AXOR
A classic with a system
Anna Moldenhauer: You have developed a new collection for AXOR and unveiled it recently during Milan Design Week: ‘AXOR Archivio’. Was there a key moment that sparked your inspiration?
Jay Osgerby: “Archivio” is a completely new collection for us – a comprehensive system ranging from showers and baths to all the associated elements. What’s particularly exciting is that this collection is being launched shortly after 'AXOR One', which has since become the company’s best-selling collection. It's as though we released a successful debut single with 'AXOR One' and are now hoping that the second one will be just as successful.
What inspired you and Edward Barber to create this new ‘single’?
Jay Osgerby: The metaphor fits very well because a special form of collaboration developed following 'AXOR One'. The range is clearly defined, leading to a more analytical approach to design. 'AXOR One' originally came about when we realised that water could be controlled via digital interfaces and apps. We wanted to translate this clarity into an analogue form. Although this trend soon became outdated, the design concept remained successful. When we subsequently examined the entire range in more detail, we realised that it lacked a collection with a softer, less geometric feel – something more human. These forms are often described as 'feminine', but I consider this categorisation to be inappropriate. At the same time, I began to explore in more depth how objects can evoke memories. You cannot create memories, but you can create forms that allow room for them. 'AXOR Archivio' was not intended to be tied to a particular era, but rather to function as a portal that allows for different associations. Avant-garde forms are not well suited to this purpose. I do not believe that provocation is part of design's remit today. That is more the role of art. Design, on the other hand, should produce familiar, long-lasting objects of exceptional quality.
Why do you consider a tap with a familiar shape to be contemporary?
Jay Osgerby: The form evokes the past, yet it has been subtly modernised – almost postmodern in the sense of referencing the past, rather than being historical. Today, more than ever, we need things that convey a sense of familiarity. For many people, the world is overwhelming, both technologically and emotionally. In the past, I would have said that design must provoke and point the way forward. Today, however, technology tends to overwhelm us. Nobody knows what’s coming next. This is why I believe it is important to separate creativity from technology. Our task is to design beautiful, well-functioning objects that people love and want to live with. This is precisely where AXOR’s strength lies. We can draw on historical references while ensuring that the technology inside meets the very latest standards. Many of our products will outlive us. The AXOR Archivio collection could easily have been created at the beginning of the 20th century, and it will continue to look timeless in the future. It's like a product on a journey through time.
What does this mean for embedded technology?
Jay Osgerby: Our product development focuses on reducing the carbon footprint and using recycled materials, but above all, we are committed to reducing water consumption. At the same time, nobody wants a tap that only delivers a weak trickle. AXOR is therefore investigating fluid dynamics and developing special nozzles. The company holds numerous patents to enable powerful water patterns with minimal consumption. A good example of this is the Powder Rain spray pattern, where the water feels like a fine mist that clings to the body rather than rolling off. You feel more thoroughly wet, even though significantly less water is used. During meetings with AXOR, we test our designs together in the shower – designers, engineers, product developers and even the CEO. It's a rather unusual start to the day for us Brits! Self-testing is incredibly helpful for experiencing the prototypes authentically and assessing them holistically.
That’s an interesting approach. It gives the team an immediate sense of what the user experience will be like, rather than relying solely on data and calculations.
Jay Osgerby: Absolutely.
‘AXOR Archivio’ will be available from AXOR in a wide range of styles and finishes. Which details were particularly important to you?
Jay Osgerby: Fortunately, AXOR is very open to our ideas, and the fact that the previous collection was a bestseller certainly helps. I am convinced that AXOR Archivio will also be very successful. Our research shows that people want bathroom fittings that are easy to use and create a sense of calm. Nobody wants to have to work out how a tap works before they can use it first thing in the morning. It's fascinating to see how young people experience products today. My children are 18, 20 and 23 years old, and I would say that they live almost as much in the past as in the present. Their generation's culture has a vast archive. Take music, for example: The Doors, grime, The Stone Roses and contemporary DJs all exist in parallel. This simultaneity didn't exist in the past. The same is true of technology and craftsmanship. Sometimes I wonder whether designers are needed at all anymore, given that so much already exists. We don't live in a world with a clear stylistic direction. Not Modernism, not Minimalism, not Postmodernism. We live in the age of the archive.
In your view, is it increasingly a matter of improving what already exists rather than compulsively creating something new?
Jay Osgerby: Absolutely. That’s precisely why the AXOR Archivio collection is so appealing. People interact with taps several times a day. They shouldn't just work – they should bring joy, too. I wouldn’t want to be involved in creating products that are taken off the market after just five years. AXOR is committed to developing long-lasting products. One day, you might find “AXOR Archivio” fittings on online marketplaces, repaired and given a new lease of life. Cheap taps use just as many resources to manufacture as high-quality ones, but they don’t last. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. With fittings, it's more like three times over.
On the other hand, this high durability also raises the question of economic benefits.
Jay Osgerby: That’s right; according to conventional wisdom, you’d have to build in planned obsolescence. AXOR does the opposite, and that’s why it’s successful.
You have been working with AXOR for fifteen years. What makes this partnership special for you?
Jay Osgerby: Absolutely. That’s precisely why the AXOR Archivio collection is so appealing. People interact with taps several times a day. They shouldn’t just work; they should inspire. Trust develops over time, and from that grows freedom. Successful, long-standing collaborations are always based on personal chemistry. We get on extremely well, and our collaboration feels more like a family affair. The lines of communication between us and the production team are therefore pleasingly short, making the exchange effective. We are also friends with some of our colleagues outside of work: our studio manager recently went on holiday with a team member, for example. This demonstrates just how close our connection with AXOR is. I wouldn’t want to be involved in creating products that are taken off the market after just five years. AXOR is committed to developing long-lasting products. One day, you might find “AXOR Archivio” fittings on online marketplaces, repaired and given a new lease of life. Cheap taps use just as many resources to manufacture as high-quality ones, but they don’t last. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. With fittings, it's more like three times over.
What are the next steps for the launch of the ‘Archivio’ bathroom collection?
Jay Osgerby: We’re currently launching a global presentation tour: I’ve already been to presentations in Miami and New York. Milan and Copenhagen are next. Our aim is to showcase the product in various markets and within the architectural community. Design needs input, and that’s exactly what these international perspectives provide.
