Floating in the sea, in a hammock in the trees

RESEARCH BACKGROUND: This work was a collaboration with industry partner Durivit, a leading German-based international manufacturer of bathroom ceramics. Chyon developed a prototype bathtub that explored new aesthetic and tactile possibilities. The design was informed by the work of American architect Lisa Heschong ('Thermal delight in architecture') and her ideas about temperature and touch as significant components in good design. The research proposal repositioned the bath as an object that was not bound to the bathroom floor but could, rather, float in space, and questioned whether it could be made from materials that were not hard and rigid but soft and pliant instead. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: This innovative bathtub challenged the prescriptive geometry of the bathtub as an object with a surface that is hard and cold. The soft polyurethane shell moulds to the contours of the body and rather than sitting on the floor, the bathtub is held by a tension ring suspended between two stainless steel poles, like a watery hammock. The poles provide the water supply but also function as storage spaces for towels and soap. The body in water is floating experiences new levels of relaxation. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: A highly innovative bathtub prototype was developed as a result of this collaboration and was selected as a finalist in the Reece Bathroom Innovation Award in 2010. Reece is Australia's leading bathroom ceramics and furniture manufacturer. 'Floating in the sea' achieved international recognition and peer-review by inclusion in the prestigious Interni Bagno 2011 design catalogue.