erties.’ Shahmohammadi’s project, Panacea,
addresses sustainability on multiple levels.
His idea is to manufacture bathtubs from
an elastic material that allows the object
to assume various shapes and forms, thus
adapting to the user’s needs and the avail-
able space. Because Panacea’s volume can be
altered to suit the size of the bather (adult,
child or pet), excessive water consumption
can be avoided. In addition, the tub’s flexibil-
ity and light weight save space, thus reduc-
ing emissions during transport.
Grzybowska and Honda, in their turn,
give water a second life. The duo’s project,
Delta, is a shower system that includes a
dehumidifier, which turns steam back into
water that is reusable for hydrating plants
or even cleaning the house. Added bonus:
the system makes for a better and healthier
indoor bathroom climate.
The different origins of the partici-
pants – more than 20,000 designers from
134 countries entered one or more of the
seven completed competitions – illustrate
jumpthegap®’s international character and
reflect Torras’s belief that design is in the
minds of people the world over and not
connected to a geographical location. ‘Our
impression of certain countries – but we
may be wrong – is that creativity is not
their forte. Even so, we see amazing projects
originating from Bangladesh to the coun-
tries of Africa.’ He’s underlining the reason
for inviting designers everywhere to heed
the call of jumpthegap®.●
jumpthegap.net
roca.comthe competition was launched last October
at the Schusev State Museum of Architecture
in Moscow. A year later, in October 2019, an
international jury, including MIT Sensible
City Lab founder Carlo Ratti and architect
Ruy Ohtake, will award the three most
innovative entries.
Why does a brand like Roca invest
so much in conceptual design, which rarely
leads to ready-to-manufacture, economically
feasible products? The answer lies in build-
ing awareness. The company’s aim encom-
passes far more than lending a window of
visibility to new generations of creatives;
it also involves conveying the message that
future-focused design has the potential to
truly change our lives. ‘Especially when it
comes to safeguarding the planet we inhabit,’
says Roca’s brand communication director
Xavier Torras, whose We Are Water Founda-
tion – a non-profit that tackles problems
related to the lack of water and sanitation
in the world – awards the competition’s
most sustainable submission. ‘Today, a lot
of people are suffering from climate change.
With this prize we urge students to come up
with responsible ideas.’
Iranian designer and previous
jumpthegap® winner Mohammadreza
Shahmohammadi stresses the importance of
sustainable thinking in the sanitary branch:
‘Products in this industry are inherently
connected to water. Roca demonstrates its
commitment to the environment by inves-
tigating the resource within its competition
platform. By reconsidering the behaviour of
and around water, it is possible to change
our conception of the resource and its prop-Winner of jumpthegap®’s last
edition, flexible bathtub Panacea
can change volume to suit the
size of the bather, thus avoiding
excessive water consumption.
Shower system Delta includes a dehumidifier
that turns steam back into water, giving the
valuable resource a second life.ROCA X FRAME 31