Body Experience
Thomas Geuder
1. February 2019
House HOD, 2014 (photo: Zooey Braun / IF Group)
Everything comes together in the bathroom, from the ambition to be a feel-good space for body and soul to the technologization of living. We talked to architect and interior designer Peter Ippolito from Stuttgart about the latest developments in the sophisticated bathroom area.
ISH Talk + Tour: Peter Ippolito «Body & Soul» Monday, March 11, 15:00 - 17:00
Here you get to the interview with Elisabeth Endres from Ingenieurbüro Hausladen about ISH – the world's leading trade fair for water, heating and air-conditioning technology: The Level of Technology
Peter Ippolito: In a world where everything seems possible, it is our aim to do projects that not only turn out to be beautiful but relevant. For us it is not about a particular style; rather, we want to create something that generates value, something that touches our emotions – and thus becomes part of our clients' history. That's why we almost radically identify ourselves with our clients. We aim to design appropriate spaces for their identities. Given today's flood of images, we want to create the right ones, not just more.
Peter Ippolito: We are an interdisciplinary studio. That has been the basic idea from the beginning. We never wanted to consider things from one particular direction only. Besides interior designers and product designers, we also employ historians and carpenters. Due to the broad background and the diverse educational qualifications of our team, we are able to see things from the perspective of our clients. We never only think in rooms, but also in brand identities. This is how we put our international teams together – to suit the client and his specific needs.
Peter Ippolito: The day starts in the bathroom and usually also ends there. One should therefore feel comfortable in this room, take the necessary time for oneself there. We have never considered bathrooms to be wet rooms but rather a part of living. If the available space permits, bathrooms are currently being requested as en-suites. Bathroom, bedroom and dressing room thus form a barrier-free entity.
Show apartment “Chromatic Spaces”, Shanghai, 2017 (photo: IF Group)
Thomas Geuder: When it comes to the choice of materials, everything that creates a feel-good atmosphere is in demand, especially in bathrooms – of course, always connected with the demand that it can also be used in damp rooms. Where do you think the trend in bathroom design is primarily heading at the moment?Peter Ippolito: In the bathroom we have body experiences. Latently, this provides for design approaches conveying an idea of nature to us. Materials such as wood, natural stone, or copper are currently in great demand, as are stone and wood imitations. At the same time, the material and color depth are increasing. In combination with decorative as well as olfactory elements, with light and refinement, the bathroom becomes an atmospherically dense overall experience – and is thus perceived as an important part of living.
Peter Ippolito: I would like to design bathroom furniture the edges of which shine discreetly at night. So I don't run the risk of breaking my toes in the dark, nor of being annoyed by unnecessarily bright light that rudely wakes me from half-sleep. This would meet my personal needs as well as the natural rhythm of light.
Peter Ippolito: Bathrooms are places where we spend most of our time on our own. Future bathroom worlds, on the other hand, indicate extensive connectivity. Digitalization changes our view of many topics, but for us, the bathroom will always remain a place of retreat, a place that fulfills our longing for ourselves, for our own identity. As a modern, material-oriented world of experience, the bathroom is a perfect place to bring body and soul into harmony. Ultimately, however, everyone must decide for themselves what added value they see in digitalization. We are always very happy about analog things, for example when we see water in the shower gently flowing off in a beautiful spiral movement.
Yuhe Apartment, Shenzhen (rendering: IF Group)
Peter Ippolitostudied architecture in Stuttgart and Chicago. During this time, he worked as an assistant to Prof. Ben Nicholson (Chicago) and gained practical experience at Studio Daniel Libeskind (Berlin). In 2002, he founded Ippolito Fleitz Group together with Gunter Fleitz. In 2015, Peter Ippolito and Gunter Fleitz were the first German interior designers to be included in the 'Interior Design Hall of Fame'. In addition to his creative work, Peter Ippolito has been active in teaching and is often invited as a speaker or act as a competition juror. Peter Ippolito is a member of the German Designer Club.
From March 11 to 15, 2019, more than 2,400 exhibitors, including all market and technology leaders from Germany and abroad, will be presenting new products and innovations at ISH, the world's leading trade fair for water, heat, and air conditioning technology. The top theme ISH Water with the "Colour" trend show focuses on innovative bathroom design and sustainable sanitary solutions. Within the framework of ISH Energy, the industry is addressing topics such as energy efficiency and comfort in buildings. At the same time, ISH meets the growing demand for individualization, well-being, and aesthetics. Solutions across systems cover all requirements and make a decisive contribution to energy-efficient and resource-saving building services. As the international meeting place for the industry as a whole – 64 percent of exhibitors and 40 percent of around 200,000 visitors come from abroad – ISH plays a leading role worldwide.
World-Architects is a content partner of Messe Frankfurt.