“Prize of prizes” for Axor Urquiola

Philippe Grohe and Patricia Urquiola accept the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany in Frankfurt

The Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany is a prize like no other. For this reason, Philippe Grohe, head of the Axor brand of Hansgrohe AG, will be attending the ceremony for Germany’s leading official design award in very special company: Patricia Urquiola, a star in the international design scene, travelled from Milan to accept this “prize of prizes” together with him. The award is being conferred in recognition of the excellence in design of the wash basin that is part of the Axor Urquiola collection created by Axor and Patricia Urquiola. This is the second time in a row that the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany goes to Hansgrohe, the bathroom and sanitation specialists from the Black Forest.

Design competence recognized

“We are over the moon about the fact that we have won this award,” says Philippe Grohe. “It represents confirmation of both our powers of innovation and of the extraordinary design competence we have achieved at Axor – a competence that is unrivalled within the sanitation industry. No other manufacturer works as closely and successfully with as many renowned designers, architects and interior architects as we do. In addition to Patricia Urquiola, designers like Philippe Starck, Antonio Citterio, Jean-Marie Massaud and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have also worked with Axor to create bathroom collections that provide solutions for a wide range of individual solutions.

The high-caliber panel of judges for the award saw the wash basin from the collection as “a tribute to the traditional shape of the wash tub” which invests the wash place with an emotional significance that extends far beyond its functional aspects. The high-quality sanitation products also scored points with the judges thanks to the special material from which it is made. This is because the mineral cast gives the basin “a particularly pleasant feel, and permits the manufacture of its extraordinary shape: the slit-like openings on either side are not only reminiscent of old-style handles; they also serve the practical function of holding towels,” according to the judges.