Aqualisa Axis and Quartz 2005

Often, creating consumer-facing advantages is only part of the product design story. Typically, a product has to negotiate some sort of gatekeeper before it can even be considered by end users. Aqualisa's Quartz shower system, designed by Seymourpowell, broke the mould by being the first to pioneer revolutionary digital technology for the bathroom, achieving sales of over £30 million in its first four years on the market and creating a legion of fans who step into Quartz showers, with their perfect pre-set temperatures and seemingly invisible workings. But customers weren't the only ones to benefit. Quartz – and its later companion system 'Axis' – halved typical installation time, offering a huge time and cost benefit to suppliers and installers.

The Quartz and Axis ranges signalled a shift from a trade 'pushed' shower product to a consumer 'pulled' product, where the patented digital design – another Seymourpowell 'world first' - separates the shower’s valve into two parts (for ease of installation), and allows for wide design possibilities and therefore for differing consumer needs and environments. The small digital 'box' powering the shower can be placed in an attic or cupboard (or anywhere out of sight), meaning that it takes up no visible space.

Advantages that everyone understands:
"So Quartz and Axis are 'digital showers'. In turn, what does that mean? In beneficial terms it means two hour installation times, digitally controlled flow rate and temperatures, variable pressure settings and an external on/off 'Dual Switch' button that actives the shower and sets the water flow temperature without needing to first enter the enclosure"
Heating, Ventilation & Plumbing magazine, March 05

"A symphony of perfection"
HPM, Dec 04

"Shower fittings producer Aqualisa has taken its design focus further than ever before, but not at the expense of functionality and other features.’"
Kitchen & Bathroom Designer, Sept 04

"The new Aqualisa Axis is not so much made as sculpted. It's straight out of the Tate Modern and world-beating because, well, no one else makes anything quite like it."
HPM, Dec 04

"Sheer brilliance…a perfect example of form and function"
Heating, Ventilation & Plumbing Magazine, Oct 04

"When we opened the box I had to call the customer to have a look and we both marvelled at the contents. He was all set to have one of those mundane plastic boxes that emits lots of noise as well as water. Suddenly it seemed as dated as a holiday at Butlins. We lifted the Axis out and marvelled."
Installer Hugh Duncan in HPM, Dec 04

"This is not the equal of, but the best shower I've ever seen/installed. The next morning, as the customer walked past my yard, he just leaned in and said 'I love you'. And who can blame him?"
HPM, Dec 04