The product design group LIXIL has launched a foldable bathtub at Designart Tokyo under the name Bathtope. The idea is fascinating and it is probably not unusual that it originated in Japan. As is well known, rooms that can be used in different ways have a long tradition there. But the idea could also be a success here. The ‘Beobachter’ recently reported that, according to a study by the research institute GFS Zürich, ‘only every second person gets into the bathtub. And: men shower more often than women.’ And further: ‘There is a bathtub in almost every home, but it is used less and less. One in two people didn’t take a single bath last year.’
Bathtope is a foldable bathtub that makes the shower room more flexible. Image linked to dezeen.
This is where LIXIL’s idea comes in, as the folding bath fits into any large shower room – but only takes up space when it is actually needed. Cut from a single piece of waterproof fabric, the product can be hung up or stowed away like a hammock.
The online magazine dezeen recently reported on the innovation. Bathtope has the rectangular shape of a traditional bathtub, but is made of sand-coloured fabric that can be rolled up and stored in a cardboard tube when not in use. It is hung on hooks attached to the walls of a domestic shower room and can be filled with up to 140 litres of water.’
Bathhope fromLIXIL combines bathroom and shower room and saves water. Image linked to dezeen.
LIXIL writes: ‘This allows users to switch between the shower and bath in a small space, depending on their mood. According to dezeen, Bathtope is made from a single piece of woven polyester coated with a polyurethane film, making it waterproof.
Unlike a solid bathtub, Bathtope has been designed to mould to the body when filled with water. As a result, the fabric bathtub can save up to 60 litres of water compared to a conventional bathtub of a similar size, which, according to the company, uses up to 200 litres of water.
