GROHE ICON 3D. Creating the impossible.
GROHE ICON 3D. Shaping the future.
Imagine a tap that redefines everything you previously thought possible. A 3D printed tap, born of the latest technology. Offering the superlative function, you would expect from GROHE, but presented in a silhouette at once iconic and astounding. Where all the usual rules of design and manufacturing have been suspended. A 3D printed tap of dazzling precision, lightness and modern elegance.
With the GROHE Icon 3D collection, Allure Brilliant Icon 3D and Atrio Icon 3D, the impossible becomes cutting-edge reality. By embracing the still-emerging technology of 3D metal-printing, GROHE’s designers and engineers are pushing the boundaries of how a tap is made. The GROHE Icon 3D printed tap takes the future of the tap to exciting new places.
With the reinterpretation of the Atrio and Allure Brilliant lines by incorporating the Icon 3D design, GROHE takes product design and the joy of water to a whole new level. Paul Flowers, Chief Design Officer, emphasizes: “Every innovation always starts with a bold vision. To re-think what is possible is for us only a question of perspective. With GROHE Icon 3D, we are entering the future of product design as we are now able to create designs that at first appear impossible. By embracing the still-emerging technology of 3D metal-printing, we are pushing the boundaries of design and truly shape the future of water.”
Thomas Fuhr, CEO Grohe AG, adds: “In order to be a pioneer in the industry and to further expand our technology leadership, we invest heavily not only in research and development, but also in innovative manufacturing processes in our plants. With 3D metal-printing, we are ringing in a new era in production which is made in Germany. We focus on our core business and use our taps to cover the entire value chain, clearly distinguishing us from our competitors. Essential to us is that we retain our proven GROHE quality and translate it into a 3D-metal-printed product. For this, we have developed our own process, whose magic lies in the powder, a unique formula for the granules that we make.”
Overcoming Boundaries: Water as a Visual Experience
The GROHE Design Studio has completely reimagined two of GROHE’s most iconic and architectural existing tap designs – the pure, clean-lined Atrio and the diamond-inspired multi-faceted Allure Brilliant. Designers and engineers worked tirelessly together to pare back the design, creating a 3D printed tap that is so light it makes you question how it can work at all.
GROHE’s 3D metal-printing process makes virtually any geometry possible and invites you to rediscover materiality: By reducing the shapes to their essentials, the stainless steel used as a raw and at the same time highly shapeable material also comes to the fore in the final product. The reduction of the design to an absolute minimum and the emphasis on the pure essence of the shapes not only saves valuable resources, but also offers a new interactive experience of water. The ultra-thin spout of the GROHE Atrio Icon 3D and the hollow interior of GROHE Allure Brilliant Icon 3D in the familiar silhouette make the water flow look like a magical, optical illusion. The faucets of the two lines thus become an aesthetic highlight in a brushed steel finish.
GROHE is truly glad to announce that ATROIO ICON 3D - nominated in the Bathroom category - has conquered the jury of the Archiproducts Design Awards for its concept and design. The product was awarded as Winner of the 2019 Archiproducts Design Awards.
Cutting-edge Digital Technology Meets Craftsmanship
Icon 3D combines state-of-the-art digital technology with hand-crafted, proven GROHE quality. The components are produced by printing metal, using a powder bed laser melting process. Each component for the tap consists of more than 4,000 layers made of superfine stainless steel powder that are each less than 2mm thick, providing it with forging strength. After printing, the component is mechanically treated on a CNC milling machine, followed by a manual grinding and fine brushing procedure as the last step of the finish. The elaborate process defines the exclusivity of the Icon 3D series: Each product is unique; the edition of the collection is limited to a few pieces per year. GROHE Icon 3D is available on request as an exclusive piece for the bathroom.
