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JIKA Brand Supports Budding Design Students

JIKA, the Czech manufacturer of bathroom equipment, offered a unique opportunity to students of the Ceramic Design Studio from Pilsen. While working on their final projects, young designers had the opportunity to experience the development of their own solitary pieces right in the manufacturing factory in Bechyně. Results of this time-consuming and technically challenging project will be displayed by the Laufen Bathroom Gallery in Prague.

JIKA, the Czech manufacturer of bathroom equipment, offered a unique opportunity to students of the Ceramic Design Studio from Pilsen. While working on their final projects, young designers had the opportunity to experience the development of their own solitary pieces right in the manufacturing factory in Bechyně. Results of this time-consuming and technically challenging project will be displayed by the Laufen Bathroom Gallery in Prague.

It is not easy for young designers to start at the Czech market, and that is why the opportunity to create a piece of their own represents an invaluable experience. Development of new ceramics shapes involves complicated and time-consuming production technology. In the past it took as many as two years or even more to create a new shape; currently it can be formed within six months thanks to up-to-date procedures. In cooperation with the traditional bathroom equipment manufacturer, Petra Šťastná, the head of Ceramic Design Studio from Pilsen and an academic sculptor, comments: “Upon agreement with the plant in Bechyně, we decided for the development of solitary pieces as the theme of our pilot project. A total of nine students took part in this project, from that five students managed to perform the job up to the phase of the final sample formation. There is a clear intention to focus on comprehensive sets, i.e. sets of sanitary ceramics equipped with furniture and accessories in a single visual line. We believe that this will provide real benefits to both students and the JIKA brand.”

This project namely involves students of the master study programme, coming from the bachelor degree programme of product, industrial or ceramics design. This multifarious mixture forms a good basis for efficient exchange of experience. According to academic sculptor Petra Šťastná, students are very good at computer design, but lack experience with shape modelling and production, i.e. the actual materialization of the original visions and ideas. Laufen CZ CEO Ladislav Dvořák comments reasons for JIKA to cooperate with youthful designers: “Working with students always brings benefits. JIKA can learn from fresh ideas, while students, on the other hand, get the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in real world. We believe that we will be able to meet at least some of them in the future, to jointly create bathroom sets attractive for our customers. JIKA new product development team headed by its manager Pavel Kolařík and the master craftsman Karel Fábera helped students with the production and conversion of students’ ideas into final products.

Exhibition of Student Work

Combination of youth and traditions has brought its fruit; JIKA customers can find out for themselves at a special exhibition at LAUFEN Bathroom Gallery (I.P.Pavlova 5, Praha 2), where all students works are displayed. You can visit the exhibition until the end of 2012.


Exhibits of student work of Ceramic Design Studio students

klicperovaHelena Klicperová, Eddy sanitary ceramics set

Eddy represents a variable and attractively shaped set of sanitary ceramics; its organic forms found inspiration in the natural power of water. Smooth and round pebble-shaped lines are complemented by a fine edge that vanishes in the bowl like a whirl, and that represents the dominating and unifying symbol of the whole series. The set includes a wall-hung washbasin with an integrated siphon cover, a built-in washbasin and a double washbasin, a WC combination, a free-standing and wall-hung WC, a wall-hung and free-standing bidet, and a shower tray. The set also includes a WC seat and a flush operating panel. From this ceramics set, the wall-hung washbasin with integrated siphon cover was manufactured (dimensions: width 60 cm, height 45 cm, depth 50 cm).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Štěpán Jirka, Ribbon bathroom setjirka

Ribbon is a set of sanitary ceramics and bathroom furniture that offers exclusivity combined with utmost functionality for compact bathrooms. The author proves that attractive design is not limited to young people only and that it is able to respect needs of seniors or physically impaired people. The series is based on a washbasin with a hidden outlet, materialized as a functional prototype along with a cabinet. The shape of ceramic cover makes water flow smoothly, thus preventing splashes in spite of washbasin’s shallow depth. If needed, the washbasin can be made deeper by removing the cover. The cabinet was designed with the aim to maximize storage space; its tapered shape at the bottom section makes standing near the washbasin more comfortable. The modular system allows choosing from drawers, a swivel clothes-basket, or a retractable basket. This basket can also be used as a seat for persons that find prolonged standing difficult or uncomfortable, such as for health reasons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

kalivodovaMarkéta Kalivodová, SUNFLOWER bathroom box

The bathroom box is designed for hotel bathrooms that are expected to offer something new and more luxurious than typical household bathrooms. All elements are designed in accordance with a sunflower’s morphology. Box design allows for both taking a shower and comfortable bathing in a circular bath-tub. The shower-only option is suitable for compact bathrooms. The sunflower can be complemented with additional stems, such as the one for a mirror placed above the washbasin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pavlikDaniel Pavlík, Plan A bathroom set

The Plan A bathroom set is designed for small to medium bathrooms to make the most of the space available, stressing namely the practical features and modularity of individual elements. The primarily rectangular form, featured by all components in this set, is seasoned with asymmetrical design. The asymmetry works as a connecting link among individual items, contributing to highly functional layout at the same time. In addition, it provides for the necessary storage space offered by each piece of ceramics. The principal piece in this set is the washbasin, which was materialized thanks to cooperation with the JIKA brand. In author’s designs it is complemented by bathroom furniture in various colour versions, as well as practical towel holders. Besides the washbasin designed in combination with a vanity unit, the Plan A bathroom set includes a bath-tub, shower trays, a double washbasin and a WC.

 

 

 

Veronika Houdková-Roudnická, Triangulum

The Triangulum project provides both sensual and tangible contrast between clean and fine washbasin ceramics and the raw material of its pedestal. Customers can choose from a variety of materials and colours, depending on their taste – from natural and earthy to flagrantly fashionable and extravagant. The washbasin thus becomes a fashion accessory of one’s household.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hana Malátková, a panel-building bathroom projectmalatkova

Panel-building bathrooms are often very similar in size. It was the objective of this project to design such sanitary ware that would fit into the compact bathroom layout as efficiently as possible. There was yet additional requirement to keep enough room for a washing machine. In this respect, the author designed three washbasin types that can be elegantly combined with a washing machine. The first type can be combined with smaller washing machines (with the height up to 71 cm) and wall-mounted bathroom faucets. The second washbasin type is designed to integrate the bathroom faucet. This washbasin type was later produced in cooperation with JIKA. The last washbasin type was designed to combine with standard-dimension washbasin. Besides washbasins, the student designed a bath-tub for the same set, featuring unusual dimensions (higher, but also slightly shorter). Thanks to bath-tub’s unusual dimensions, it can be filled up to one’s shoulders; its rear part provides enough room for a shower enclosure with a shower screen.