Nick Holland 3 Abala, Faucet and Basin

Credits
  • Tauira / Student
    Nick Holland
  • Kaiako / Lecturer
    Emma Fox
  • School
    Massey University Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts
Description:

Abala is a multi-functional faucet and basin package that reduces the severity of ergonomic stress in the bathroom, whilst keeping aesthetic factors a top priority.

Abala was designed to improve the bathroom experience for users suffering from chronic back pain or soreness. The high arc of water means users can easily avoid having to bend far over their sink whilst washing their face or brushing their teeth.
Traditional solutions for ergonomic problems are often brutally functional with little thought given to their appearance, a key priority during the design of Abala was to make sure that it was an elegant product, that users could take pride in owning.

The Abala faucet has two separate functions:
It can be used as a regular faucet by rotating the regulator on top of the body, the degree of rotation influences the temperature of the water flow.
Its other function provides a flowing arc of water, giving users an easy way to wash their faces without bending far over the sink. This function is activated by rotating the faucet arm 90 degrees clockwise from its starting position.

Independent channels inside the body prevent both functions from being activated at the
same time. Abala’s optional accompanying basin is shaped to reduce water spillage and complement the faucet's form and the flow of water it produces.

Abala’s design was iterated extensively through sketching and foam modeling. Its aesthetic qualities were developed to complement and inform its function, with subtle details that give users cues about how it operates.