AXOR’s Western Cape Bathroom Concept Channels Place and Precision

In its 2025 campaign Escape the Ordinary, AXOR partners with Italian designer Antonio Citterio to reframe the modern bathroom not merely as a place of hygiene, but as a destination — immersive, personal, and deeply contextual.

At the heart of this vision is the Western Cape Apartment Residence, a bathroom concept inspired by the elemental drama of South Africa’s Cape Town.

GALLERY

It is here, in this tactile space of clay, water, and shadow, that AXOR’s design innovation finds full expression.

Set against the rugged South African landscape, the Western Cape concept harnesses materials that speak to both place and story. Walls of red local clay are finished in water-resistant plaster, mirroring the parched land beyond. Reclaimed Palladian Terrazzo grounds the design in a legacy of resourcefulness, while deep red mosaic tiles in the shower provide texture and depth. For Citterio, it’s about anchoring solitude in belonging — crafting a space that feels both global and unmistakably local.

Centrepiece of the bathroom is the AXOR ShowerSphere — a sculptural showerhead designed to hover with architectural elegance. Engineered for efficiency, its elliptical form delivers two spray modes with just 8 litres per minute, thanks to AXOR’s EcoSmart technology. The result is a water-saving experience that feels anything but compromised. In drought-sensitive regions like South Africa, this balance between sustainability and indulgence is not just thoughtful — it’s essential.

Completing the space is a suite of AXOR elements, all finished in Brushed Black Chrome. These include the discreet AXOR Citterio C porter unit, thermostatic AXOR One modules, and a rectangular AXOR Suite bowl set atop a clay-plaster cabinet. A choice of AXOR Citterio E mixers — either single-lever or three-hole — offer timeless proportions and tactile refinement.

The Western Cape Apartment Residence is one of three global concepts in the Escape the Ordinary campaign, alongside spaces influenced by Japan and Italy. Yet it is perhaps the most grounded — a bathroom that doesn’t just serve a function, but tells a story. With Citterio’s hand and AXOR’s innovation, water becomes design, and design becomes experience.

All images courtesy of AXOR via Designboom