Das Projekt „Crotto Collection“ untersucht den Raum des Badezimmers von der funktionalen Nasszelle bis zum häuslichen Refugium. Trotz ihrer Vielfalt teilen Baderäume ein zentrales, funktionales Element: die Sanitärkeramik.
Das Projekt beschäftigt sich mit den Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten durch die Übersetzung gebrannter Sanitärkeramik in ein neues Material. In Zusammenarbeit mit der Firma Geberit GmbH wird die Zusammensetzung des Materialentwurfs untersucht, auf ihre Eigenschaften geprüft und ein Gestaltungskonzept für Badezimmeraccessoires entwickelt. Basierend auf den Forschungsergebnissen wird ein Konzept entwickelt, das als Ansatz dient, keramische Abfälle innerhalb der Produktionskette einer Industrie weiter zu verwerten. Parallel zu verschiedenen Fliesenformen wird ein Zubehörset bestehend aus Spiegelhalter, Becher und Seifenschale entworfen. Darüber hinaus werden Vasen aus Toilettenformen entwickelt, als Symbol für die Ausweitung des Badezimmers in andere Wohnräume.
The project “Crotto Collection” examines the bathroom space from the functional wet room to the domestic refuge. Despite their variety, bathrooms all serve a common purpose. The central component of any bathroom is the sanitary ceramics.
This fact gives rise to the project, which deals with the design possibilities of translating fired sanitary ceramics into a new material. In collaboration with Geberit GmbH, material properties and usability are being investigated. Based on the research results, a design concept is developed that serves as an approach to translate ceramic waste within the production chain of an industry. Parallel to different shapes of tiles, an accessory set consisting of a mirror holder, a tumbler and a soap dish is created. In addition, vases are designed from toilet forms, as a symbol of extending the bathroom space into other living spaces.
Die Objekte sind als Set zu sehen: 1 Set beinhaltet drei Teile: Maße Set gesamt: 200mm x 200mm x 100mm. Es sind 5 Sets in jeweils einer Farbe – 5 Vasenobjekte: Maße 1 Vase: 150mm x 180mm x 300mm – Materialfliesen: 20 Stück à 40mm x 100mm x 5mm – Farbfliesen: 30 Stück à 100mm x 100mm x 8mm – Gipsformen: 8 Stück
Subtitle of the project/work (en)
Translation of sanitary ceramics
Extensive Description (en)
After the firing process, ceramics can no longer be recycled and end up as mineral construction waste at recycling centers at the end of its life cycle. In 2020, the total amount of mineral construction waste in Germany was 220.6 million tons.*
Privately used sanitary ceramics make up part of the construction waste, while another part is generated during ceramic production itself.
Partly unused, with minimal errors, but fired products are declared as waste and sorted out by the ceramics factories. What to do with the discarded sanitary ceramics within the factories? The project takes up the challenge of re-translating fired sanitary ceramics. Therefore the sorted waste is recovered within the production chain of an industry by finding the right processing and recipe for the material. Various tile tests are performed using different material processing techniques, treatments, and bonding methods to explore the limits and possibilities of incorporating recycled content into the material. Laboratory investigations into material quality, durability, and processability are carried out and compared to Geberit GmbH‘s quality standards. Laboratory tests show that the stirred-in recycled powder can be used up to a high percentage depending on the future application.
The quality of the project can be seen in a balancing act between meeting the demands for corporate qualities and realistic feasibility and still focusing on the vision of reintroducing fired and glazed ceramics into a new process. Color palettes and glazing methods are tested to define attractive and contemporary color combinations for the new products. The standardized white glaze of the sanitary industries products symbolizing hygiene is questioned and an alternative design is developed. Due to the joint work and the stay at the company, an important part of the work is the strategy to carry out the design drafts and the design process very close to the everyday production process. The objects are inspired by details within the process. Tiny shapes and subtleties that seem to be lost in the daily routine of the company are taken up and transferred into new objects.