Villeroy & Boch has expanded its Antao collection with Antao Earth, a new range of surface-mounted washbasins designed by Cologne-based studio KASCHKASCH. Each basin is finished with a hand-applied Artisan Glaze, creating subtle variations in colour and texture that give every piece an individual appearance.
The organic form of Antao Earth is based on the existing Antao collection and takes its inspiration from the shape of a dewdrop. KASCHKASCH founders Florian Kallus and Sebastian Schneider developed the silhouette through the iterative process of photography, simplifying and translating forms into three dimensions before refining them further.
“It’s not a question of minimalism in its proper sense”, says Schneider. “It was more condensing design into its very essence” – the result is a timeless form that makes an impact but isn’t overpowering.
Artisan Glaze: Every washbasin a unique piece
The key feature of Antao Earth is the new Artisan Glaze. It is applied by hand and when fired, develops a chemical dynamic: The result is a surface that changes with light and water – an authentic feature of the craftsmanship.
The new technique was developed with Villeroy & Boch’s glazing lab in Mettlach. The development process placed significant demands on the material and the glaze needed to deliver a handcrafted, sculptural appearance while meeting the exacting standards required for large-scale production.
“The challenge here lay in combining an emotionally appealing, highly tactile experience with full everyday functionality”, comments Florian Kallus. Sebastian Schneider goes on to explain, “The physical complexity in the kiln is enormous. To extend such a structure to an entire basin in a controlled and reproducible manner calls for maximum precision at the interface between design and high-end ceramics technology.”
A homage to nature
The Antao Earth colour palette is based on natural landscapes and features three carefully designed hues of Sand, Terra and Smoke which are designed to reflect the variety and depth found in nature. The special Artisan Glaze results in individual textures that interact with these hues to give surfaces a vital, authentic radiance. Inspired by natural landscapes, the shade Sand creates a light welcoming look that evokes a feeling of calm. A stronger, earthy accent is set by Terra, which was directly inspired by the elemental structured surface of the Earth and reflects a deep, unmistakable bond with nature in the bathroom. Completing the palette is Smoke, a contemporary shade that reveals layers of depth as light moves across its surface.
Designed to complement the existing Antao collection, Antao Earth offers designers and homeowners greater flexibility when creating cohesive bathroom schemes.