BATHROOM manufacturer Duravit is installing more than 1,370 individual world-class products – ranging from wall-mounted WCs to towel holders – in the sanitary areas of the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

This includes everything from the common areas to the VIP facilities.
The builders of the racetrack are drawing upon the expertise of the German manufacturer which already has more than 190 years of experience with ceramics and has, in the last 20 years, made an international name for itself in the field of bathroom design thanks to its cooperation with high-profile designers, such as Philippe Starck, Sieger Design, Norman Foster, Phoenix Design, Massimo Iosa Ghini, and Eoos.
“These partnerships have given rise to more than 40 projects across in the world. The order from the builder of the Abu Dhabi track mainly involves the Vero, Architec and Starck 3 design ranges,” says a spokesman for Duravit.
The company also delivered 12 “barrels” – a conical vanity unit designed 15 years ago for Duravit by Starck and that, over the years, has become the best-selling item of furniture in the Duravit range. The design classic in high-gloss black and white was also premiered at this year’s ISH, a world’s leading bathrooms and kitchens trade fair in Frankfurt in March.
The shimmering white barrels are expected to be eye-catchers in the new Formula 1 areas. “The barrels are made in Duravit’s furniture factory in Schenkenzell in the Black Forest. Duravit made large investments there only last year and, in response to the positive order situation, extended the production areas by about a third,” says the spokesman.
Also selected for the project was Duravit’s Scola washbasin, which was originally designed more than 30 years ago for schools and kindergartens.
“Today, on the strengths of its pure form, Scola is completely at home in many design projects. Its timeless combination of the rectangular and round form was the deciding factor for Formula 1,” says the spokesman.
A Philippe Starck design, this time the Starck 3 range, was chosen for the barrier-free sanitary areas.
According to Franz Kook, chairman of Duravit’s management board, design paired with high quality was the key factor behind Duravit’s success in the race for Formula 1, plus the fact that it has a local sales network. At the end of 2001, Duravit opened its own office in Beirut and gradually built up a local sales network. To further improve local support for the dealers, an additional office in Dubai opened in 2006. This enabled the company to achieve a double-digit growth in the region.
Other Duravit projects in the Middle East include Mall of Arabia in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Saifi Village luxury apartments and Four Seasons luxury hotel in Beirut, Lebanon; The Pearl-Qatar’s hotel and a Doha high-rise in Qatar; The Pearl luxury apartments in Bahrain; Avenues Mall in Kuwait; Crowne Plaza Hotel in Jordan; Chaouwaifat School in Muscat, Oman; Alhandaria Hotel in Damascus, Syria; and Burj Dubai in Dubai.