American Standard Wins Coveted Platinum A’ Design Award for Artful, 3D Printed DXV Bathroom Faucet Line

Do you have a thing for fancy kitchens and bathrooms? While it would seem that some lucky folks engaged in home spending sprees which border on something akin to lives of the rich and famous have it all—from imported stone countertops via tips from international decorators to the fancy stainless fridges and smart toilets with blowdryers (wait, that’s an article in itself!)—some of us are thrilled just to have a beautiful accent here and there among the more sensible and budget-oriented, banal items. Years ago, I was involved in a home construction project, and in the midst of it discovered that I could actually pick out something more elaborate than just the old stainless steel faucet and sink getup. What a treat! And ever since, I’ve had a thing for seeing how others elaborate on that choice as well.

American Standard does far more than elaborate. Obviously, they innovate—and their efforts have recently won them the Platinum A’ Design Award in the 3D Printed Forms and Products category for their new Shadowbrook 3D printed metal bathroom sink faucet. This is an exceptional honor, given only to the top one percent of designs submitted.

The recent recognition offers little surprise though, as we’ve been following their stunning designs for quite some time now, from the initial release of their metal 3D printed faucets, to the appearance of the DXV line, offering something deliciously elegant and avant-garde for the upscale residence,

Now, the design team at American Standard has definitely reached a new pinnacle with the award. All submissions for the A’ Design Awards are meticulously evaluated and peer reviewed. Only then are they handed over to an expert jury, where designs are to be judged, anonymously. Awards are given as a superior reflection of:

• Function
• Reliability
• Performance
• Interaction
• Empowerment
• Perfection
• Change

And without a doubt, this is the streaming of water redefined with metal SLS 3D printing. The results are, undeniably, works of art. American Standard designers are able to make customized and detailed faucets with an extremely strong alloy that allows for a waterfall effect.

“A celebration of the natural experience of water, the Shadowbrook faucet enchants and beguiles the user by reinventing the common experience of receiving water by turning on the faucet tap. It offers a vivid and unforgettable statement of flowing water that could not be achieved by traditional manufacturing processes,” states the description for their entry in the A’ Design Award and Competition page. “Beneath this unique design, the Shadowbrook offers superb performance and a water-saving flow rate of 1.2 gallons per minute.

CFD technology also allows for the adjustment of a stunning 19 separate waterways flowing over the elegant geometry of the spout. After exiting the 3D printer, each faucet is subjected to a ‘butler’ finishing process that gives it a hand-polished patina reminiscent of elegant, well-worn silver.

“To receive this high honor from an eminent international program like the A’ Design Award and Competition is a notable accolade to all of us at DXV and American Standard,” said Maha El Kharbotly, chief marketing officer of LIXIL Water Technology Americas, the global business unit under which DXV and American Standard operate.

 

“Our talented product design team has accomplished a great deal with this 3D printing breakthrough, continuing our 140-year-old tradition of leading-edge design and high-quality craftsmanship. We are extremely proud of this well-deserved recognition for this innovative faucet.”

This is not American Standard’s first award this year already, however. Recently they were recognized too for their styling and operational innovation by the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) with their 2016 Best of Show Gold winner in the Bath category.

While many companies may talk about raising the benchmark and setting new standards, it just takes one look to see that American Standard is going far beyond that, creating inimitable and mesmerizing designs that allow for a high-performance centerpiece in your bathroom, or kitchen.

American Standard Brands is owned by LIXIL Corporation, and is part of LIXIL Water Technology business, which operates across 150 countries. The LIXIL Water Technology brands include: LIXIL, INAX, GROHE, American Standard, and JAXSON.

What do you think of these high-end faucets? Discuss in the 3D Printed Bathroom Faucets forum over at 3DPB.com.