Designing in tune with Kohler’s concept, Architect Shobhan Kothari looked for a deeper connotation to embrace simplicity, by making the most of the philosophy of Kanso, with his digital render of an imagined bathroom…

“As we live in a world of hyper reality and are constantly bombarded with ‘excesses’ of information, people, interactions and more, we felt that shedding in excess should go beyond the immediate understanding of the term and look for a more unadulterated perspective. We considered a life inspired by a modern monk – one that embraces necessity but does not indulge in unnecessary desires. In this search, we thought of a cave dwelling carved somewhere in the mountains, with its rugged topography and oculus for natural light as the setting for this product launch. The sanitaryware is minimal in design and the haptics of design are embraced with bathtubs built into the rocks and a shower experienced as a natural spring.”

Shobhan’s Tips On Working With The Kanso Concept

• The Kanso Concept is derived from the Japanese Zen Philosophy that embraces simplicity. Its philosophy can be ideally manifested into a lifestyle. Its evidence in design aesthetics is derived by achieving spaces devoid of clutter and keeping them very functional. Kanso is about being high on ‘mindfulness’ towards your environment and surroundings.

• Bathrooms are great places to introduce the simplicity of Kanso. It can be easy for your bathroom to be overloaded with toiletries, spare towels and the like, but by removing all but the necessities, you can enjoy the space more.

• When designing your bathroom, make sure you have enough storage space built in, so you can keep the vanity, tub and other surfaces free from clutter. That way, there will be nothing to distract you from enjoying a blissful bath or your walk-in shower at the end of a long day.

• Introduce a wellness quotient into your space by introducing mood lighting, niches for pot pourri and fragrances and incense.

• Be resourceful when it comes to water – embrace technology in sanitaryware products that do not waste water and are environmentally sustainable.