What I retain from being raised Catholic is a love of ritual. How fondly I remember the sweet scent of the smoking incense and the cool touch of the Holy Water. I enjoyed the rich purples and resplendent golds of the priest’s garments too. But most of all, I rejoiced in all of the sacred spaces: the ornate sphere of the thurible, the troubled filigree of the confession box, the gilt gates of the reliquary. I find something of the wonder of the baptismal font in the new Bjhon washbasin by Agape.

Bjhon washbasin. Designed by Angelo Mangiarotti. Manufactured by Agape.

Sculptural Washbasin Pays Tribute to Classic Garden Planters

Italian bathroom company Agape thinks the Bjhon washbasin resembles a “classic garden planter” (as opposed to a baptismal font). Essentially, the shape is the same: a round basin balancing on a tapering central column. The design is retrieved from architect Angelo Mangiarotti’s archives. Available in two versions—Bjhon 1 features a simpler circle while Bjhon 2 features a tapering bowl—Bjhon washbasin is a sculptural piece.

Bjhon washbasin comes in Cristalplant® biobased, marble, or pietra. In marble, the sink retains a stately elegance. In Cristalplant® biobased, the Bjhon takes on a more modern slant, given the material’s unique qualities: “Cristalplant© is made up of high percentage of mineral extenders from nature (ATH derived from bauxite) as well as a small one of high-pureness polyester and acrylic polymers; therefore, it is an inert, hypoallergenic and non-toxic material.” Also made in Italy, the solid surface material is 100% recyclable, UV-resistant, non-porous, hygienic, and “agreeable to the touch for its velvety and natural stone-like finish.”

About the Manufacturer: Italian manufacturer Agape has been a major force in bath fittings and sanitary ware since the company’s founding in 1973. Since that time, the company’s core philosophy has been to employ “innovation, research, coherence, new materials and flexible solutions to make the bathroom a more comfortable and aesthetically stimulating space.” The company is strongly positioned in the global marketplace. With 700 distributors in Italy and abroad, Agape exports product to 40 different countries. Their roster of habitual collaborators includes Konstantin Grcic, Patricia Urquiola, and Angelo Mangiarotti.