SWIRL: Wholesome Bathing

— providing a fresh bathing experience

— length & type

3 months
Industrial Design

— role

Lead Industrial Designer

— context + problem to solve

Drain clogging is one of the most common culprits of ruining a soothing bathing experience. It leads to a majority of people being disgusted at bathing in ankle deep water, afraid of the germs washed away from their own bodies and resulting to the least environmentally friendly option: cleaning it all with a plethora of tissues.

In the bathtub, we often come across the fear of a potential encounter with an ankle-deep water shower. Product buildup, hair strands and numerous particles aggravate drain clogging leaving the rest of us dreading our bathing session.

How might we harness the flow of water to provide a fresh, clean bathing experience?

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SWIRL is a drain protector designed to give a cleaner and wholesome bathing experience.

— concept

The SWIRL system utilizes the natural flow of water as its swirling mechanism to allow for hair, residue and buildup collection to prevent drain clogging.

Via a volumetric indicators, users are guided to eject the washable filter compartment for continued use. SWIRL takes care of the dirty work. Out of sight, out of mind.

— detail

SWIRL goes inside the standard drain trapway tolerance to allow for an easy and intuitive installation.

Through the flow of water, SWIRL can filter between product buildup and water to allow for the latter to follow its course.

— process

The form exploration focused on evoking a design language that was sculptural yet restrained while still facilitating ease of use.

Through purposeful aesthetic decisions, the outer grooves mimick inner form to educate the user on overall functionality and what happens inside the product in action.

In Detail

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Teaser Film

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— recognitions

European Product Design Awards: Winner in Home Interior Products / Bathroom Fittings / Appliances, Los Angeles, CA, 2018

Given the nature of this project, further insights and design process can only be revealed in an interview setting.