yves behar explores 'poetics of water' with LAUFEN VOLTA wash basin

INTERVIEW WITH YVES BEHAR AND MARC VIARDOt ON VOLTA BY LAUFEN

In their first collaboration, Swiss bathroom brand LAUFEN and designer Yves Behar present VOLTA – a sink that takes the humble wash basin to new environmental and poetic heights. Unveiled as part of the ‘A New Dimension of Water’ exhibition during Milan Design Week 2025, the product builds on the brand’s carbon-free production process and Behar’s interest in connecting sustainable technology with everyday rituals. The basin introduces a sculptural, river-like flow that reduces water usage and simplifies cleaning, reflecting the duo’s shared belief in purposeful design and environmental responsibility. 

designboom visited the exhibition and spoke exclusively with the designer Yves Behar and Marketing and Design Director of Roca Group Marc Viardot to learn more about the ideas behind VOLTA, and how ceramic design can become a platform for sustainability and sensory experience.

‘There was no reason to reinvent the wash basin. With Saphirkeramik, we had already spent 12 years reinventing typologies, aesthetics, proportions, textures… but this was about new functionality,’ starts Viardot our conversation in Milan, reflecting on how the partnership began.

LAUFEN and designer Yves Behar present VOLTA | all images courtesy of LAUFEN

A COLLABORATION POWERED BY THE WORLD’S FIRST ELECTRIC KILN

Central to the project is LAUFEN’s electric kiln, the world’s first tunnel kiln for sanitary ceramics powered entirely by renewable energy. Developed in collaboration with German company Keramischer Ofenbau, a technological leader in ceramic kiln engineering, this groundbreaking production technology eliminates the need for gas-fired kilns. It also laid the foundation for the partnership between the Swiss company and the industrial designer. More than an innovation in manufacturing, the electric kiln signals a shift in ceramic design – one that brings sustainability into dialogue with both functional and aesthetic ambition.

‘The starting point was the electric kiln – a major innovation,’ says Viardot. ‘It’s the world’s first CO2-free ceramic production line. We are currently the only ceramics factory doing this, which is a huge leap, and hopefully just the beginning. That’s where our thinking began: the kiln already fires all the products in the Gmunden factory today, but we started wondering what else it could unlock.’

developed using LAUFEN’s fully electric kiln, VOLTA reflects a shared vision for sustainable ceramic production

RECREATING RIVER STREAMS IN CERAMIC DESIGN

For Yves Behar, the electric kiln represents more than just a breakthrough in ceramic production – it sets the tone for a design approach that seeks to optimize sustainability at every stage, including how the basin is used. With VOLTA, he reimagines the conventional wash basin by introducing a sculpted water path that offers a dynamic and intuitive experience. Inspired by the movement of natural streams, the design gently guides water through a central channel, helping it carry away debris more efficiently. The result is a more natural interaction that reduces water consumption and simplifies cleaning.

‘In most bathrooms, water is delivered invisibly and disappears quickly. It’s purely functional,’ Behar tells designboom. ‘With VOLTA, we wanted to create an experience closer to nature. The form emerged from that intention. The idea of a river or a vortex was in the very first sketches.’

inspired by the movement of natural streams, the design guides water through a central channel

Transforming the concept of a river into a functional ceramic form was no small feat. Both Behar and Viardot faced technical and conceptual challenges as the prototypes began to take shape. Without any digital simulation tools to predict the water flow, the team had to rely on physical experimentation, building full-scale ceramic prototypes, adjusting angles, and observing how the water moved in real-time. The sink’s distinctive geometry is made possible by LAUFEN’s Saphirkeramik, a high-performance material that enables the precise formation of thin lips and intricate contours, pushing the boundaries of what ceramic can do.

‘The main challenge was not knowing if it would work,’ recalls Behar. ‘There wasn’t any software to simulate this – we had to build real, full-size prototypes to see how water would behave. Persevering in an unknown direction was the biggest challenge. You can always make something “pretty,” but doing something new and functional takes courage and belief. Without Saphirkeramik, the design would’ve looked thicker, heavier – less appealing. That material innovation from Marc and LAUFEN really enabled us to pull this off.’

The collaboration marks more than just the launch of a new product – it signals a broader vision for the future of bathroom design. For Behar and Viardot, VOLTA is not a standalone object but the beginning of a larger exploration into reducing water consumption and incorporating natural elements into home design. Its sculptural form and functional principles have the potential to evolve into a series of products aimed at changing the way we interact with water.

‘This is more than just a product. It’s a fundamental innovation with many applications,’ concludes the designer. ‘We see it not only as a product, but as a platform for reducing water consumption, for exploring the poetics of water.’

the basin reduces water use and simplifies cleaning – blending form, function, and environmental intention

its intention is to create a closer experience to nature

Behar and Viadot view the basin as a hallmark for broader water-conscious design

project info: 

brand: LAUFEN | @laufenbathrooms

product: VOLTA

designer: Yves Behar | @yvesbehar

material: Saphirkeramik