Iron Bathroom Furniture and Sanitary Ware Design · 2023
Swan Kitchen Faucet
- A' Design Award 2023 Iron Winner in Bathroom Furniture and Sanitary Ware Design
- Awarded April 15, 2023
- CLIENT: Andrei Korsun
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 24,972
- Verification code A518F286FB · Verify this award
About Swan Kitchen Faucet
This concept of kitchen faucet represents the mix of pure design, functionality and the last but not least non-standard material combination. It gives the new experience of high tech product which translate feelings of nature in every touch. Of course, the combination of polished metal and natural сarrara marble creates the intrigue of perception. The general form language conveys the grace and strength of a majestic bird while barely noticeable details shape the understanding of quality of the product.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This concept of kitchen faucet represents the simplicity of forms
and the importance of tandem materials. Mirror polished steel perfectly matched with rich texture of natural stone such as marble. One of the important feature is the separate knobs for adjusting hot and cold water, (while on the market we see more and more products with a common rotary knob). Separate regulation is more preferable as it allows to regulate the temperature more precisely and use water more economically with respect for nature. - Dimensions & Packaging
- 66mm Width x 206mm Depth x 310mm Height
Statuario Venato Marble, Mirror Polished Stainless Steel, Red/Blue Glaze - Tags
- faucet, marble, stylish, concept, natural materials, swan, bathroom furniture
- Production Technology
- When I started deisgn this faucet, I was looking up at basic principe- less is more. So in this project I wanted to give a feeling of simplicity and unity with nature.
If we talk about function- its classic double knob faucet, but these knobs are located one above the other. This makes it possible to open both taps with a simple one finger movement.
And the last, but not least is that Swan can rotate right or left, while the knobs section stays still. As such, it gives you more space when you need it while still being stylistically pleasing. - Design Challenge
- Why i want to design the faucet? Because there's thousands variations of it, but none of them use natural rocks, and their mysterious beauty. So the most challenging thing was not play with it hard, but give the feeling of something unorthodox to the customer. Same time there was some obstacles related to materials and usage of them. And that call spawned an intricate project idea: Today's customers need so techological products as they could be, but perhaps more importantly, as natural as possible. Swan is the good illustration of it- hi-tech production and simple natural shapes join together.
- Project Duration
- The first sketch was made in 11.2020, and then there was many iterations in 3D, till 03.2021 when this concept was finished.
- Operation Flow
- The use of this faucet is intuitive and convenient. When you see it for the first time, you can see two separate labels (red means hot, and blue is cold, of course). So all you need is to rotate one of them or both together. The increasing angle of rotation just makes wateflow stronger and vice versa. Another option that the user has is the ability to rotate the top (this rarely visible feature gives more flexibility in using the entire sink space).
- Research
- The Swan faucet is a progressive item with timeless design principles.
Thousands of apartments have problems with pressure and water temperature regulation. By developing the double knob faucet that issues are solved, at the same time if knobs are located one above the other it gives more racionalized space using and no visual noise in the area. - Inspiration
- The magnificent bird was an ispiration. How graceful and powerful it is. The feeling of unity with nature, which this bird gives when you looking at. Main idea was to combine two different materials, and search the best way to meet style and function in one clean product.
Colors of Swan Kitchen Faucet
Design Interview about Swan Kitchen Faucet
The main idea was to create a faucet that would use non-standard materials and shapes. At the same time it would have to look natural and not ostentatious. The inspiration was nature itself, the swan - a beautiful, majestic bird, strong and at the same time sophisticated. This is exactly what I tried to convey in my design.
I wanted to show how a complex object in terms of technology can look simple and not overloaded with unnecessary details. At the same time, I wanted this technological faucet to translate the unity with nature, to bring associations with it.
I would be happy if any of the bathroom manufacturers offered to implement it. That would be wonderful. For my part, I will try to promote this project as much as possible in order to eventually bring it to realization.
The very idea of such a faucet originated in my head long ago, but it took me less than a month to think about its technical part and to implement the project. When the idea completely took hold of me, I could not tear myself away until I finished)
It's pure inspiration). At some point I thought about the diversity of faucets, so I came up with this concept. I analyzed what is being produced now, what are the nuances/problems, what innovative solutions appear or are forgotten. So this concept was born.
At the moment no one is producing this concept. But I am always open to suggestions and would be more than happy to cooperate with an interested manufacturer. I do not intend to produce it myself, but again, I am always open for cooperation.
Curiosity, and the understanding that I can bring something new to the existing range.
In this project, I don't think so. It's more likely that the art deco stylistics had some influence...
This is definitely the premium luxury segment. Natural materials, difficult processing, the complexity of the technological part - this is not a mass project.
In my opinion, the distinguishing feature is that this project is designed to be respectful of the environment. By using two rotary knobs instead of one, you can more accurately set the temperature and water pressure, reducing its consumption. At the same time the product looks strict, is made of natural materials, and will be actual for a very long time.
Oh, it's very simple) I was inspired by the bird, I tried to convey its stateliness in the product, and it served as a perfect name.
First Procreate, for a few sketches and looking for ideas. Then Solidworks for 3d design, and finally Photoshop and Procreate.
It's probably the complex shape of the spout. On the one hand it is elegant and simple, on the other hand it looks quite powerful and dynamic. And the marble rotary handles are quite a unique solution in this form factor.
In this project I did not collaborate with any other designers or engineers. The entire project, from the idea to the very last rendering, was done completely on my own.
It is very high. It is necessary to develop a new faucet cartridge for this design. It is very important to match the rotary marble handles and the steel parts as precisely as possible. The production of the spout of such a complex shape will also require great skill and high-precision technological solutions.
I have looked at thousands of faucet variations to see some general trend in this form factor and suggest something new.
The main difficulty was probably the analysis of the technical part of the product. It seems to me that creating just a nice rendering is meaningless, if the developed product cannot be realized.
So I spent a decent amount of time researching the feasibility of my idea.
So I spent a decent amount of time researching the feasibility of my idea.
I wanted to test myself. I wanted to show the project to professionals from different countries and see what they think. This is a great opportunity for any contemporary designer and I was happy to take advantage of it. I was even happier when I found out that the judges responded warmly to my work. It was an amazing experience.
I have become more technically skilled in some aspects. I learned more about the possibilities of working with marble and steel. And I was happy again when it all worked out)
Grand Interview about Swan Kitchen Faucet
In my opinion, the most important topics today are conscious consumption and harmony with nature. That's why I decided to challenge the classic materials and take a broader view. This is how the idea of using a natural material was born. The choice fell on Carrara marble because of its stunning beauty, unconventionality and recognizability. When using such a material, virtually every faucet will be unique, with its own pattern. I am convinced that conscious consumption cannot be combined with flashy, fast, low-life design. I believe that one should try to create an object that will not become obsolete in 5-10-20 years, that will complement many different interiors and that will be made with the highest quality. The inspiration for the shape of the mixer was nature itself, the swan - a beautiful, majestic bird, strong and at the same time refined. This is what I tried to convey in my project.
The usage of two separate knobs for hot and cold water makes it possible to adjust the temperature more precisely, to use only cold water when necessary and to reduce the load on the general power system. If we look at faucets with a single rotary handle, we can see that it is often difficult to set the right water pressure at the first time. In my version, however, it is much easier to control the turning of the handle in one plane, which makes it possible to dose the amount of water pouring out as accurately as possible. You don't need a powerful stream of ice water to quickly rinse a couple of forks, do you?) At the same time, the vertical handles on top of each other, allows literally one finger movement to open both hot and cold water at the same time, without the risk of getting burned or feeling any discomfort during use. In my opinion, this variation in usage scenarios shows care for the user and the environment.
The idea that it should be a vertically oriented faucet was born quite quickly, but then it was a very long process to find the right shape for the spout and handles. It was really difficult, I tried to keep the visual impression that we get when we see a swan gliding leisurely across the lake. What do we see at that moment? This amazing bird looks very noble and refined, but at the same time it doesn't look fragile, it is very statuesque and strong, although we don't see any muscles. I tried to try to realize these thoughts in marble and steel, to combine contradictory feelings in one object and to recreate the emotional response I get myself when watching swans. This is how I arrived at the regular, cylindrical shape of the marble handles, and the unusual shape of the steel faucet. My idea was to combine the overall roundness with clearly readable verticals that would add character to the whole composition of the object.
The main challenges in such a project are the need to use high-precision technological equipment and the development of a unique internal cartridge for mixing water. Processing natural materials is a special art, and Carrara marble is like a diamond that needs to be cut properly. I would certainly like the company that would undertake such a project to be as careful about these processes as possible. It took me quite some time to find a solution for the design of the internal water mixing cartridge. I thoroughly studied the cartridges available on the market, the schemes and principles of their operation, the dimensions in which they are implemented, finally I understood how to organize the space inside the faucet to make such a design work correctly. I will not hide, my first engineering degree helped me in this.
It is indeed a difficult decision. As I said before, this faucet requires the highest precision of the equipment used to realize all the ideas conceived. When I was thinking about the possibility of realizing this function, I thought of shock absorbers in the bicycle/moto/auto industry, and the answer came quite quickly. You need to use a system of multiple tubes (one in the other) and multiple levels. Imagine two bowls arranged one inside the other, but with the inner bowl glued to the table, and the outer bowl has a bottom cut out and can rotate around the inner bowl. The inner bowl has water in it, and many closed holes around the bottom. The outer bowl is empty, and there is a tube glued to the rim on the inside. As soon as you open the holes, the water flows into the outer bowl, and it is drinkable no matter how you turn the tube. This way you can keep the control knobs stationary and the spout itself swiveling. It may sound complicated, but the solution itself did not appear immediately.
Great question, in my opinion we live in an amazing time when technological capabilities allow us to hide all the complexity inside a minimalistic device. This is exactly the effect I wanted to achieve. I don't think it's good to use flashy, heavy exterior elements. In my opinion, beauty is in simplicity, so I tried to make the device quite minimalistic on the outside, but at the same time, to realize the idea, I had to think about high-tech stuffing inside. I think it can be called quiet luxury, because if you don't disassemble this mixer, it seems very simple. Nowadays, in a world where we are surrounded by a huge amount of information, I think it's important to think about reducing visual noise, so the step from heavy luxury to quiet luxury seems logical to me.
I was interested in two things - concern for the environment, and care for the user of the faucet. In the first case, we get the obvious advantage of the most precise water pressure control, complete control of the water temperature, whether you want to add water to a pot of your indoor plant, or if you are filling a baby bottle. In the second case, when using a single-lever faucet, I often faced the problem of turning on too much water pressure, which can literally spray water all around, or accidentally turning on hot water, which can unpleasantly burn. So I decided to use a two-lever system of adjustment. I would like to note that the knob for adjusting the cold water is located on top for a reason, in order to exclude the possibility of turning on the hot water, if you move carelessly.
I think we are in for a beautiful symbiosis in the future. We see such examples everywhere, in architecture, automobile design, graphics, movies, and I would be happy to see these manifestations as often as possible. The most valuable thing we have is tradition and skills passed from one generation to the next, there is nothing more beautiful than watching a craftsman work with Murano glass. I believe that combining advanced technology with traditional craftsmanship will take us to a whole new level, not only in kitchen equipment, but in design in general.
I guess many people may have experienced varying water pressure, seasonal temperature changes, or temperature changes due to incorrect wiring inside the house/apartment. These negative aspects significantly reduce the comfort of using faucets, which is why I felt it necessary to take care of these problems. This is how the idea of a double-lever vertical faucet was born, with its use we remove several complaints at once. There is a possibility of flexible and fine adjustment of both water pressure and temperature.
Perhaps the main and most positive insight was the realization that even people who want luxury do not want to show it off, do not want to surround themselves with excessively “noisy” objects. It's great, it's very happy and shows a great attitude of society to conscious consumption, a demand for design that will live for a long time, not for what is fashionable and popular immediately. For me, as a designer, the observation of such a vector certainly pleases me, and at the same time it makes me set more and more ambitious tasks, and the development of new objects becomes more and more intriguing. After all, to create a project that will resonate in hearts not for a year, but for decades, requires a huge amount of knowledge, skills, a real intuition is needed. I sincerely believe that it will be possible to replenish my portfolio with projects of this kind)