THE POEM OF THE RIGHT ANGLE According to Le Corbusier, the right angle had been considered to be the basis for the human being establishing his own order long before he published Le poème de l angle droit. Based on right-angled systems, architecture developed important milestones on the way to planning and constructing buildings sustainably. Current finishing and application techniques, and not least the possibilities from parametric design processes, have now freed planners even more from the dictation of the right-angled grid. On the other hand, many experts agree that the 90 degree angle will still play an important role in realising architecture. THE CIRCLE IN THE SQUARE Representing a strict implementation of this concept is the square tile pattern, which still forms the basis of many bathroom designs. Often when work is being carried out in a bathroom, the mantra of the joint cut is seen as a sure sign of professional work. It seems surprising at first that the ceramic fixtures often refer to the design of the curved lines, therefore representing a contrast to the overriding design grid. There a reason that pared-down designs with straight edges and right angles are often described in terms such as designer bathrooms or architecture bathrooms. Villeroy & Boch collections such as Architectura or Memento meet the requirements of this type of design. They are either characterised by linearity or pared-down lines, therefore fulfilling the design requirements of the planners. CERAMICS AND THE PERFECT LINE With more than 250 years of ceramic experience, the corporate culture at Villeroy & Boch stands for the pursuit of perfection. Creating precise lines for edges and areas, which are meant to harmonise with the orthogonal system of the bathroom, can be challenging. The great art in shaping ceramics lies in mastering the shrinkage process during production. The blank, depending on its thickness, loses up to 30 per cent of its original volume during the various steps in the drying and kiln process. Therefore, precision and dimensional accuracy are excellent attributes of high-quality ceramics. Furthermore, Villeroy & Boch products have an immaculate surface. This is the result of a very thick glaze, up to one millimetre thick. The company often sets standards in the industry, for example with TitanCeram. Experts are very impressed by the precision of the lines of this partially hand-crafted collection. PLANNING BATHROOMS AND WELL-BEING PROFESSIONALLY Villeroy & Boch developed the Architect is Manual for architects and it includes some content on planning bathrooms. This online publication gives planners background information on the company, products and production and not just the performance characteristics. There is a lot of attention to detail in high-quality ceramics and more than 250 years experience of working with the material. In this compilation, you will get to know the people who develop and make the products. They give us a look behind the scenes at the international ceramic specialist in interviews and specialist articles. Architects are provided with information and suggestions on planning luxurious spa areas to efficiently designing bathroom and wet areas for large projects. Villeroy & Boch also offers comprehensive planning support at: www.pro.villeroy&boch.de
