“Like liquid diamonds falling from the sky” – Designer Michael Neumayr talks about Aquahalo from Dornbracht

Mr Neumayr, how did you come up with the Aquahalo design?
There was a chandelier hanging in my parents’ house in Austria, where I grew up – it was modelled in the Gustavian style, a Swedish trend inspired by antiquity and French neoclacissism. My mother, who was herself a designer, had the idea of adding a small lamp inside the striking structure – a ring, four candles and an upward tapering crystal curtain. As a result, the light played with the crystals, creating wonderful optical refractions. This reminded me of sparkling water. For Aquahalo, a contemporary, minimalist interpretation of this chandelier came to my mind, taking water, the highlight of the concept, to complete the chandelier design.

What role does the nature of the water play?
The nature of the water and its presentation are crucial in an experience shower. We observed the interaction of the medium with the skin and body in detail and assessed its effects: Which flow mode relaxes us? What enlivens us? The size of the water droplets and their intensity play a key role. Literally every tiny drop, every angle at which water falls from the ring, was specifically curated.

What are the different water experiences that Aquahalo makes possible?
Aquahalo has three flow modes that create quite different wellness experiences. Aqua Circle Rain is a gentle ring of water. You can always keep your head dry while showering using this special experience.

Tempest Rain, on the other hand, simulates tropical rainfall: The water shoots up into the air until it reaches its turning point and gravity drags it back down again. As the drops fall, they cut across one another. The speed at which the drops hit the skin is not generated in the usual way, by water pressure, but by gravity. The drops falling onto our bodies are extremely gentle – just like natural rainfall.

And finally, Diamond Rain descends from a spot for light and water in the ceiling. Water and light are closely linked here and come together to form a dense, sparkling stream. As the drops are far larger than those in Aqua Circle and Tempest Rain, it really does look like liquid diamonds falling from the sky.

What effect does Aquahalo have?
Aquahalo stimulates the head, neck, and the spinal column, as the jets of water apply different pressures to the skin. The experience shower creates moments of absolute bliss – moments of relaxation, regeneration, and wellbeing. This always took priority in the development process.