From 13 to 17 March, Frankfurt – after a four-year break – has hosted the 2023 edition of ISH, the fair of reference for sanitary fixtures and climate control technologies. An event that attracted 153,734 visitors (pre-pandemic there were over 190,000) from 154 countries, examining important themes like heating in the construction sector and sustainable water supply.
Design also had its space, especially in the area of bath furnishings, with a number of displays of great impact. At the Laufen stand, the theme of connectivity was addressed with large monitors, suggesting the silhouettes of skyscrapers. Here, amidst various new products (like Meda by Peter Wirz and the additions to the line Il bagno Alessi by Stefano Giovannoni), visitors also saw ideas that lead to the smart dimension in the bathroom, above all for use in public spaces. There was also a freestanding bathtub with a translucent base on which to reproduce luminous sequences of colors (just a prototype, for the moment).
At the booth of Nobili the strong point in aesthetic terms was the Sole mixer designed by Diego Giromini based on the archetype of the pipe, with a handle resembling industrial plumbing (another prototype). The knob is placed directly on the pipe, in a model made possible by the most innovative mixer cartridge of all time: the slender, efficient Nobili Widd® 2020. The opening on the cold water setting prevents unintentional activation of the water heater, to avoid wasting gas, while a vanishing aerator limits consumption to 5 l/min (as opposed to the normal 9-11 l/min), keeping the flow of water pleasant and full.
Other new developments included the Sorgente multifunctional taps, in 3 models: Filtra, developed in collaboration with the Austrian BWT, marking the company’s official entry in the filtered water sector; Bolle for emission of boiling water; and Frizza for sparkling water.
Cristina Rubinetterie, in a stand designed by Elisa Ossino, presented products of great aesthetic and functional value. They included the Rota series (Angelettiruzza design), with industrial charm and an interesting game of full/empty parts, and Tilde (Cristina Design Lab), a minimal design marked by a slight curve, underscored by the new brushed aluminium finish.
At Antoniolupi, five iconic pieces from the catalogue – Tuba, Ago85, Simplo85, Fusto and Albume – were reinterpreted in marble varieties with intense grain, bringing a new visually sumptuous dimension to projects with extremely clean forms. The brand also presented a bed, an absolutely new entry in the catalogue: the preview of an evolution that will be unveiled during Milano Design Week.
