Julie Mathias / RCA Design Products
indulgent bathing: new narratives for older people in the bathroom
This design study explores what luxury and indulgence in the bathroom might mean for people over the age of 50. There is growing consumer interest in a bathing experience based on well-being, in which water, light, aroma and sound combine to create an idyllic, stress-free environment. But the reality of the British bathroom is far removed from this. Products aimed at older people are generally driven by low cost and utility and rarely deliver possibilities to delight and indulge.
At the start of the study, lyrical images were used to elicit responses from people about their own daily bathing rituals and personal aspirations. Ten users aged 50-70 were interviewed and photographed, ranging in ethnic background, social status, gender and visual and physical ability. Each user had a unique story specific to their experience. These became narratives that directly fed into a series of design concepts that propose a sensual and refreshingly different design language for the bathroom.
Concept Jungle uses the metaphor of the garden hose and people’s love of gardening to create a nature-inspired network of hoses with changeable heads to stream water, blow hot air or create suction. Concept Tree applies the same principles around a freestanding tree-shaped unit complete with branches that turn into showerheads or act as seat supports. Concept Waterdrop landscapes the floors, walls and ceilings of the bathroom into a rich, organic surface. Concept Extension takes the bathroom into the garden with a semi-permanent structure made up of sections of timber and glass. Collectively, these and other concepts aim to enhance the bathing experience as well as our understanding of people’s needs as they age.
