10:00-10:30 a.m.: ISH 2025 Trends in the Solutions Field Bathrooms

Speaker: Frank A. Reinhardt (FAR.consulting)

In interior design, the bathroom is considered a specialised discipline in which bathroom planners must have both design expertise and technical knowledge as well as a good overview of currently available products. For several years now, they have received support in this area from the Pop up my Bathroom platform - an initiative launched by the Vereinigung deutsche Sanitärwirtschaft e.V. (VDS) and Messe Frankfurt on the occasion of the ISH. This year, Pop up my Bathroom will once again describe future developments in the bathroom as part of a trend exhibition. Trend researcher and curator Frank A. Reinhardt provides an outlook on the trends that will take centre stage this time. Followed by a guided tour of the Pop up my Bathroom exhibition and the hot spots in the bathroom solution field, the trend lecture is the perfect way to start the day at the trade fair.

12:45 - 1:15 Uhr pm: Futureproof through Sustainability - Trends, Solutions and Business Models

Speaker: Barbara Busse (Future+You)

Sustainability as an opportunity and as a risk – the globally active expert in Foresight and Product Development Barbara Busse gives a strategic outlook on the most important changes for the Bathroom in the future. As an expert in the premium and luxury market, she uses the Future Thinking method to overlook global trends and drivers, local opportunities and business models of tomorrow for specialists from the areas of marketing, product innovation and sustainability.

1:30-2:00 pm: Colour Trends: How Colours in the Bathroom Affect People

Speaker: Dr. Hildegard Kalthegener (Farbstudio Dr. K)

Colour psychology is important, as we have known for decades - but here it is not only presented with a wink, but also in a very trend-oriented way. Here is a small sample as a foretaste of "colourful recipes from the trend kitchen", but with a special focus on the bathroom. Green seems perfect for the private jungle oasis, where you can find inner peace and outer freshness after an avocado scrub.  Beige is like a contemplative film that never becomes a blockbuster; a good, quiet friend that is sometimes a little too inconspicuous and almost boring. Blue is like the sound of waves, but without the salt in the air and howling storms; deeply relaxing until you realise that there is no refill for the empty toothpaste tube. Pink appears like a candyfloss universe, the red surroundings raise the pulse and orange lifts the mood. If you want to hear and see more than the familiar clichés on this colourful topic, you can look forward to this well-founded and entertaining lecture!

2:45 - 3:15 pm: Industry Talk: An international comparison of the bathroom

Panel diskussion with Nobuaki Ichige (TOTO), Xavier Torras (Roca) und Jörg Pütz (marketing to grow)

Moderation: Jens J. Wischmann (VDS)

Is there such a thing as a typical German bathroom? And if so, how does it differ from the typical bathroom in the rest of Europe, Asia or America? Where are the differences and where are the similarities? And are bathrooms used differently in different regions of the world? The panel discussion "An international comparison of the bathroom" takes you on an exciting journey through the diversity of bathroom cultures. Traditional materials, advanced technologies, stylistic elements and usage habits will be discussed.

3:30-4:00 pm: AI in Product Development and Innovation Management

Speaker: Michael Schmidt (code2design)

The interdisciplinary design studio code2design has developed a pioneering tool in collaboration with the Fraunhofer IAO in the AI Progress Centre "Learning Systems and Cognitive Robotics": the "Virtual User LAB". This interactive tool uses generative AI to create and refine personas and interact with them in dynamic scenarios. In a chat-based interface, large language models (LLMs such as ChatGPT) simulate the identity of personas and enable interactive applications, e.g. in virtual focus groups or for the real-time validation of product ideas/concepts in workshops.

4:15-5:00 pm: Industry Talk: Age-appropriate, Barrier-free, Care-friendly Bathroom Planning: Importance and Differences

Industry-Talk with Matthias Thiel (ZVSHK), Martin Schäpermeier (Kaldewei), Gudrun Kaiser (WiA)

Moderation: Daniela Heinemann (Aktion Barrierefreies Bad)

When it comes to barrier-free bathrooms, we are quickly confronted with a whole flood of different terms. For most of them - such as senior-friendly, generation-friendly, low-barrier, barrier-reduced or disabled-friendly - there are no defined criteria, nor are they legally binding terms. On the other hand, there are defined minimum requirements for bathrooms that are suitable for the elderly or those in need of care, and the term barrier-free has even been defined by DIN. But what exactly do these terms mean and how do they differ? What needs to be considered when designing a bathroom? Daniela Heinemann (ABB) talks about this with Matthias Thiel (ZVSHK), Martin Schäpermeier (Kaldewei) and Gudrun Kaiser (WiA).