Marcel Wanders might just be the James Franco of the design world. He’s got his hands in everything—so many projects that it seems impossible. I am starting to wonder if Wanders has a secret twin or doppelganger robot to double his capabilities on Earth. He founded Moooi, collaborates with Vitra, designs for Droog, teaches at Dutch design academies, presents lectures worldwide, and finds time to design furniture and fittings for global companies and hotels. Perhaps the Dutch have already invented a duplicating machine to create designer replicants!

Pipe. Designed by Marcel Wanders. Manufactured by Boffi.

Simple Waterfall Showerhead

However and whenever he did it, Wanders is the mind behind Pipe, a shower system for Italian company Boffi. This minimalistic shower offers big style, especially conceptually. The idea behind Pipe is to produce a simple shower that mimics the travel of water: “We need a major system of big and small pipes to take the water from the lake to your house through the heater and finally through the shower over the body.” The Pipe shower produces a thick stream of water like a waterfall—no sprinkling whatsoever, just big, bold flow.

Pipe is made of stainless steel and comes with an optional ceramic cartridge mixer. This red wheel of a handle resembles an industrial shut-off valve—and while Pipe is interesting in its unadorned state, it’s virtually irresistible with that bright burst of scarlet machinery.

About the Manufacturer: Italian firm Boffi began in 1934 when Piero Boffi founded his own craftsman-led company specializing in bathroom design. By 1947, Boffi had built its own factory. Decades later, the company added kitchen design to its product line; and still later, in 2010, Boffi entered the storage systems market. Known for innovation and experimentation, as well as collaboration with international designers, Boffi often introduces new products at furniture shows, where their exhibits forecast future trends. You can see Boffi designs in New York City at their SoHo store.