200 years of "Living bathrooms"

Broadly speaking, the history of Duravit AG can be divided into two sections. In the early phase up to 1980 we concentrated on the quality of our ceramics and our region. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the prevailing economic conditions permitted sanitaryware to become part of the global flow of goods. The first great innovation was the Duravit wall-mounted toilet in the 1960s. At that time functional aspects predominated in the bathroom. In the 1970s decoration, shapes and colours came into play.

In the 1980s the topic of design as we understand it today became part of the bathroom, and that was also the start of our success story. Then and now we have been a key influence on that process. The first projects with Dieter Sieger set standards – and in hindsight they transformed the entire sector. But our products are more than that. They are timeless classics – and remain so today. 1994 saw the big breakthrough with Philippe Starck. Presentation, approach and product design were completely new at the time. Modern classics and the DNA of Duravit were born.

These factors remain relevant in 2012, 2015 and 2017. A pared-down design language, plenty of light, colour that emanates from the material. Plus, and this is new: technology, which does not dominate the design, but stays in the background. It is sustainable and enhances comfort. It has a use and a benefit.
In a nutshell: Duravit represents a unique design language that we invented along with our partners and that defines us.