Editorial
What are the main themes at the ISH, the world’s leading trade fair for bathroom experience, building, energy, air-conditioning technology and renewable energies? What trends are influencing product development and bathroom culture? What will the future interfaces between product design and architecture be like? What demands are consumers making? Vereinigung Deutsche Sanitärwirtschaft e.V. (VDS) has identified the ten main development trends that are influencing bathroom design today or are likely to do so in the near future.
These trends are not mutually exclusive but in many cases feature combinable aspects. They will help to structure and develop the various phenomena and concepts that trade visitors and consumers will see at the ISH. These trends will be presented and discussed at the fair in the Water Lounge on the VDS stand, which has been enlarged as a meeting place for media and industry representatives.
The Water Lounge, which was first set up two years ago, will be located in hall 3.1 (A96) and will feature the 10 top themes, in some cases in the form of Flash-animated films, illustrated and projected on an information stand (Trend Forum A98).
New chapters in bathroom design
Bathroom design has become a highly interesting lifestyle theme. The bathroom is no longer a closed-shop system but a room reflecting many external influences from society, design and the environment. The sanitary industry is intensively studying these developments. With changing demographic trends, the demand for sustainability through green design and the growing yearning for regenerative space, the industry is also having to consider its social function in greater depth.
“Pop up the bathroom” addresses many of these aspects of relevance to bathroom design. The title refers to pop-up books in which a two-dimensional illustration obtains a third dimension when the pages are opened. The ten pop-up-the-bathroom trends are presented in the same way. The title is also a summons to open up the subject of bathroom design and to review personal conceptions of bathroom culture.
We hope you will enjoy discovering and finding out about the ten top trends in the bathroom.
RA Jens J. Wischmann, MBA
Geschäftsführer Vereinigung Deutsche Sanitärwirtschaft e.V. (VDS)