The New Wave at Milan Design Week

Patrick Speck is Leader LIXIL Global Design for the EMENA region, which gives his insights into the future of bathroom design particular weight. Since joining GROHE in 2006, already with a strong background in industrial design, he has worked to understand the “macro” trends in consumer behaviour and lifestyle expectations, and to develop products that anticipate and match them. His work has placed special emphasis on the human quality that a product can express. An object created for people to interact with may well be mass-produced or “industrial”, but for Patrick it won’t be successful if its intention isn’t clear to the person using it. This intuitive communication, the story that a product tells its user in the act of being used, is the key to great design.

One of the big lifestyle trends that Patrick recognises currently is towards personal wellbeing. Consumers are looking for products that offer a genuinely life-enhancing experience. In terms of bathroom design this means a complete reimagination of the space and its purpose. People are no longer satisfied with the merely functional; they want a spa-like experience they can enjoy at home, where their sensory responses to water can be part of self-healing rituals and a total escape from the cares and stresses of everyday life. 

The creation of the GROHE SPA premium sub-brand, in which Patrick and his team have played a central role, is both a response to the wellbeing trend and the expression of its natural conclusion: if a product expressing human qualities is good, then one that speaks to the user’s individual, personal needs is even better. GROHE SPA under Patrick’s leadership takes all the technological advancement and refinement of GROHE’s premium products and adds opportunities for customization such as consumers have never known before. The launch at Milan Design Week is bold and ambitious. It aims to show the world what a game-changer GROHE SPA is in allowing people to create their very own personal wellness haven, which not only caters to their wellbeing needs but also shows their individual style.

Our encounter with Patrick Speck took place within the walls of Castello Sforzesco, a place of great significance in Milan’s design and art culture. This historical fortress-turned-museum serves as a hub for creative minds, with its extensive collection of art and design exhibitions. Meeting Patrick amidst the castle’s artistic ambiance allowed us to tap into the vibrant energy that flows through Milan’s design scene, sparking inspiring conversations and fostering new artistic connections.