The world’s first electric tunnel kiln by LAUFEN

A new dimension of water for a more sustainable future.

LAUFEN presents VOLTA, a concept created in collaboration with Yves Behar that celebrates water and the solar power of the world’s first electric tunnel kiln.

The designer has created a revolutionary concept in Saphirkeramik inspired by the world’s first electric tunnel kiln for sanitary ceramics production. “New technologies call for new shapes”, declares Yves Behar whose new design impressively underlines the performance of the new e-kiln.After four years of development, the first electric tunnel kiln for sanitaryware has successfully been producing ceramic bathroom products in Gmunden since November 2023, replacing the previous gas kiln. The plant, which already uses electricity from renewable sources and solar panels and hosts the Group’s innovation centre, provided ideal conditions for this type of experimentation.

The new e-kiln is the result of the collaboration with the German Keramischer Ofenbau, a world technological leader in the production of kilns for ceramics. LAUFEN has achieved Cradle to Cradle Certified® Circularity at the Bronze level for its ceramic products manufactured in Gmunden, Austria.

Given that the kiln is highly efficient, decarbonised and automated, it provides a valuable alternative to conventional production dependent on fossil fuels, making Gmunden the world’s first emission-free sanitaryware factory.

In response to this revolutionary technology, LAUFEN invited Yves Behar to imagine the first object created using this groundbreaking process. The result is VOLTA, a sculptural washbasin that reimagines the movement of water through a swirling vortex – a design that combines visual poetry with enhanced flow and self-cleaning efficiency.

Marc Viardot, Marketing and Design Director of Roca Group: “It was a dream come true to create something together that has never been done before. It felt that with the new electric kiln, paired with LAUFEN’s unique Saphirkeramik technology, the time was ripe for our collaboration. Since this was Yves’ first project with sanitary ceramic, we gave him carte blanche to create an icon. Inspired by the first CO2 free production in the world, Yves’ approach was very fresh and resulted in an unconventional new concept for the bathroom. It feels a bit like we reinvented the wheel – at least the way we relate to the daily use of water.”

The new innovative VOLTA also marks a new chapter in the exploration of Saphirkeramik — LAUFEN’s signature ultra-thin ceramic material, developed at the Innovation Centre in Gmunden, which allows for exceptional precision and creative freedom in design.

This extraordinary ultra-thin and very resistant ceramic material was launched in 2013 and over the years this innovative material has revolutionised bathroom design. With Yves Behar’s new concept, the company has taken its exploration of the Saphirkeramik to the next level, pushing boundaries to create a design that is both unconventional and highly functional. This achievement demonstrates that technological innovation, aesthetic perfection and maximum functionality can be seamlessly combined.

This is the first time that Yves Behar has worked with sanitary ceramics and the exploration of the Saphirkeramik has allowed him to create a new innovative concept that transforms the experience of water in the bathroom.

The global leader in design and Founder and CEO of Fuseproject drew inspiration from water – an element that has played a significant role in his life and has always captivated him. By observing and studying its fluid, ever-changing motion, Yves Behar has created sleek, sculptural washbasins that beautifully reinterpret its movement.
The innovative aspect lies in the unique shape of the sink’s interior, designed with two distinct levels. This not only creates an aesthetic of movement but also generates a swirling motion of the water which ensures the basin is cleaned perfectly.

Furthermore, LAUFEN has developed a large hidden outlet that reduces the size of the siphon and makes the overall aesthetics more elegant.

According to Yves Behar, designers must bring people closer to nature and rethink their relationship with the objects.

‘My favourite saying that I use a lot in my work is that design accelerates the adoption of new ideas. The new idea of the electric kiln can be experienced in the way that it takes the force of the sun and turns it into power. While our ceramic designs show us the beauty and motion of water and creates an experience of nature’, explains Yves Behar.

About Yves Behar — Founder and CEO, fuseproject Yves Behar is the Founder and CEO of Fuseproject, a San Francisco-based design and innovation studio. He has launched over 100 early-stage ventures and developed products for brands such as Samsung, Herman Miller, and L’Oréal. His work is rooted in the belief that design accelerates the adoption of new ideas, shaping products that transform how we live.

Behar is known for creating iconic products like the SNOO smart sleeper, Herman Miller Sayl chair, and Samsung Frame TV. He has also led humanitarianprojects such as  partnership with the non-profit The Ocean Cleanup, and See Better to Learn Better, which have improved millions of lives globally.

A leader in AI and robotics, Behar and Fuseproject designed Moxie, an emotionally intelligent robot for children, ElliQ, an AI companion for the elderly, and Maxio for AES – an AI-driven robot that installs solar panels in half the time at half the cost. His work is included in the collections of major museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Behar has received over 300 awards and has been named one of TIME Magazine’s Top 25 Visionaries. Forbes recognized him as the “Most Influential Industrial Designer in the World.”

laufen.com.au