Not for nothing does the Copenhagen showroom of manufacturer Vola feature a blown up black and white of designer Arne Jacobsen, managing to look both stentorian and cute and cuddly in bow tie and signature pipe. The company owes much to the designer, and vice versa, as the reputations of each were to some degree established on that fortuitous moment in 1961, after Jacobsen won a competition for his design of the National Bank of Denmark. It seems Vola principal Verner Overgaard had an idea for a new kind of pared down wall-mounted faucet, and Jacobsen had the design savvy to see it to fruition. Not long after, the world made its acquaintance with the Vola HV1, the first to hide away all the mechanical workings of water delivery in deference to the pure form of handles and spout.

Vola HV1 Collection. Designed by Arne Jacobsen.

A Technicolor Mixer that Never Goes Out of Style

Jacobsen’s HV1 is a simplistic affair with a cylindrical shaft, a swiveling switch for on/off and water temp, and a simple projecting spout. The no-frills aspects of HV1 were (and continue to be) its genius. Up until Vola took flight, mixers mostly involved exposing the pipe works—a look that certainly has its place (see, for instance, Bo Reudler’s Amsterdam bathroom)—but in pursuit of the clarity of form and purpose that defines Modern design, we’d rather these mechanical workings stay hidden.

Jacobsen’s iconic faucet made (and continues to make) this possible. The compact, lightweight design long ago set the standard for contemporary fittings, and as we all celebrate V-Day with Vola’s particularly potent palette of vibrant shades—perhaps with a bubble bath and a pink martini—we shan’t forget the debt.

Via Materialicious.