A thin band of flexible material used primarily for binding and tying: visually and conceptually, Ustogether‘s Ebb collection serves as a ribbon sculpturally weaving together the bath, basin and shower. The idea for the bath/basin was conceived in early 2005 and the Ebb shower a few months later. “Upon formation of the UsTogether design collective in 2006, wheels were set in motion to bring the product to market and production commenced in July 2007.” Thus, Ebb collection is what is the work upon which the British/Irish design collective was built.

Ebb Collection. Designed by

The Ebb collection is made out of LG HI-MACS, a natural acrylic stone material. Its ability to be seamlessly joined together, Ustogether explains, has helped them enormously in their goal to unify bath, basin and shower. “Its versatility as a material has allowed us artistic freedom to create designs that simply wouldnt have been possible before and our manufacturing flexibility means that we can easily work with clients to create bespoke designs.” For the Ebb Collection, The thin sheet undulates, curving up and down to define the shallower, deeper and flat spaces, such that the profile exactly mimics the section. Glass sheaths the sides to provide these defined spaces with function.

Beautiful, sculptural and modern: the ribbon-like form seems to float midair. On a practical note, keeping it clean could be a challenge. The seems between the LG HI-MAC form and the glass sides (for a sink and a bathtub nonetheless) would require far more cleaning time than your average seamless bathroom forms. The sheets of glass, if not kept spotless, would likely ruin the effect of the sleek contemporary design. On that note, we’d suggest its placement in hotels. Let it be a rare treat for guests and leave the cleaning inconveniences to someone else.

The concept of combining bathroom “furniture” has previously been realized, but for reasons other than aesthetics. Buratti + Battiston’s Washbasin+Watercloset is a fusion between a washbasin (sink) and watercloset (toilet) which uses recycled water from the washbasin to fill the watercloset, thereby reducing water consumption. Nevertheless, this porcelain form visually (and conceptually) ties together these two functional pieces.