Candana: Urquiola

Hansgrohe Aquademie in Schiltach

Showerworld entrance

Showerworld dressing room

Axor Front shower in Showerworld

Axor Nendo Lampshower in Showerworld

Axor Massuad in Showerworld

Showerworld

Some of our group in Schiltach

Schiltach

Shower displays in the Aquademie

Puravida display in the Aquademie

Axor Citterio display in the Aquademie

Axor Urquiola & Nendo display in the Aquademie

Axor Massuad display in the Aquademie

Axor Starck Organic display in the Aquademie

Axor Urquiola display in the Aquademie

Axor Starck Organic display in the Aquademie

Hansgrohe 'Select' display in the Aquademie

After spending 3 fabulous nights in Munster with Kaldewei it was time to move onto the Black Forest to visit Hansgrohe and Duravit.

We travelled 6 long hours on a bus with a pleasant, unscheduled stop over in Cologne for lunch and the next day woke to the most beautiful view I could ever have imagined. It is clear to me why the Germans focus so much on sustainability and being green, because they are completely engulfed in this amazing environment that needs to be maintained.

Hans Grohe was inspired by the Black Forest surroundings and had a passion for water which encouraged his manufacture of tin showers in 1901, that's over 110 years ago!

Even today the Hansgrohe company is still owned by the Grohe family.

Our first day at Hansgrohe included a 'Shower World' experience. When initially reading this on the itinerary I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive. However, upon entering this area my doubts were completely squashed. The rooms were set up like some of the most luxurious bathrooms I've seen and we were lucky enough to test them all out.

My excitement at finding the brand new Nendo LampShower was visible, I think I may have squealed with joy.

We even got to try the AXOR Shower Heaven which is a massive 1m x 1m square ceiling shower panel with lights and different spray settings plus the set-up included body jets. This experience was out of this world, I can't emphasis enough how amazing it feels to be standing under a shower that pumps out 33 litres per minute. Maybe standing under a waterfall would come close.

I would also like to mention at this stage that all of the water in 'Shower World' is 100% recycled and used to flush the toilets throughout the Hansgrohe Aquademie.

After 'Shower World' and product training by very professional and knowledgeable Hansgrohe staff we ventured out into the factories. Hansgrohe are the complete embodiment of a 'green company', not only are their products water and energy saving with a long service life but they make an effort to use renewable energies within the company, sophisticated recycling systems and heat recovery in production. And walking through the factory you could not see one person slacking off or without a huge smile on their face. The workers are passionate about the company and love their jobs.

All Schiltach residents will know at least one person who works or has worked at Hansgrohe. This company has been a wonderful source of employment and economy for this stunning little town.

During training we were lucky enough to be shown some new products including the very cool Axor Starck V and new Select range. Select is going to change the way we control our showers, it is a revolutionary push button system that I think will be everywhere in the years to come. Can't wait to get these products in Aus!

During the 10 day trip we sampled some of the most delicious food and beer Germany has to offer. One the most memorable was visiting one of the 5th oldest farm houses in the Black Forest, Klausenbauernhof to make our own Flammkuchen (Black Forest pizza-style cake) in their wood fired oven.

Hansgrohe also organised for us to do a day trip across the border into Strasbourg, France.

We spent the day doing a walking tour through the town, eating delicious French/German food and managed to squeeze in a little bit of shopping, of course! It was great to see during the 'free-time' almost every public bathroom had Hansgrohe tapware!

Klausenbauernhof farm house, Black Forest

Learning a bit about the Klausenbauernhof farm house, Black Forest

Making a Flammkuchen

Enjoying our Flammkuchen, inside the Klausenbauernhof farm house

Hansgrohe History in the Aquademie

Axor Starck bathrooms in the Aquademie

Axor Starck V during training

The actual view from my hotel room window, Black Forest

Strasbourg, France train station

Strasbourg, France

Walking tour of Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg, France cathedral

Walking tour of Strasbourg, France

Lunch in Strasbourg, France

Outdoor basin in the Black Forest

Hansgrohe Axor Urquiola shower set

How an invention freed people’s hands when showering

It revolutionised the bathroom: The shower rail or Unica has been around for 60 years now – and it was invented by Hans Grohe, the founder of the shower specialist Hansgrohe SE in Germany’s Black Forest.

Frequently it is the seemingly simple ideas that change the world because they make life simpler, more convenient and better. The shower bar is such an innovation with a sustainable impact. In 2013 it became 60 years old. Today it is taken for granted in bathrooms across the globe: the shower bar.

It was discovered by Hans Grohe, the pioneer of Germany’s sanitation industry, in Schiltach 60 years ago. It came on the market in 1953, under the brand name Unica: A milestone in the history of Hansgrohe as this innovation made the company the shower specialist at the time and has characterised its approach to innovation to this day.

In addition, however, the invention of the shower bar was a significant watershed in the development of the bathroom. This is because first of all, it changed users’ behaviour by enabling “hands-free” showering – with a height-adjustable hand shower. Secondly, this brought about the emancipation of the shower from the bathtub. This heralded the advent of separate showering areas in the bathroom, changing its architecture in the process. A genuine bathroom revolution!