Chris Hegeman and Johan de Groot
Their designs focus on people.
Chris Hegeman and Johan de Groot are a great team. These two product designers at Villeroy & Boch create Bathroom and Wellness products of tomorrow and beyond.
As different as the personalities of the two Dutchmen are, so are their ways in approaching the design process. Starting from completely different points, they move closer and closer to each other until they eventually end up with the perfect result.
Success has proved them right. Inspired by popular Dutch Design, their creations are very modern and contemporary, innovative and distinct. They put people at the heart of their designs, devoting a lot of attention to detail. Only when a product's functionality is perfect, can its design also be perfect.
“Good designs generally emerge when people work together.“
— Chris Hegeman
The collections
Chris Hegeman and Johan de Groot continue to inspire design at
Villeroy & Boch with their collections and products. They created the puristic Just Silence outdoor whirlpool, the award-winning Squaro Edge 12 and Loop & Friends baths and the ultra-flat Architectura MetalRim shower tray.
Just Silence
Create a new kind of hot tub, with something that sets it apart from the rest – this specification for Just Silence posed a challenge for both designers. It not only involved improving the design, but also pushing the boundaries of production. The result was a completely new interpretation of the hot tub – purist, straightforward and, in spite of all the minimalism, fitted with a more flexible seating concept.
Squaro Edge 12
Chris Hegeman and Johan de Groot certainly made full use of the advantages of the innovative material Quaryl® when they designed Squaro Edge 12 and perfected their clear design. Their creation combines exceptional lightness with delicate lines and a luxurious bathing experience. The rim, only 12 mm wide, defines the puristic design of this premium bath, turning it into an elegant centrepiece in the bathroom.
Architectura MetalRim
The Dutch designer duo also focused on perfect design and comfort when they were creating Architectura MetalRim. They have designed a unique minimalist rimless shower tray, which blends harmoniously into every bathroom, creating a very generous sense of space. The ultra-flat rim is unusual. The shower tray, only 15 mm high, has a galvanised steel reinforcement that guarantees maximum material stability.
Loop & Friends
The two designers have created a masterpiece of individuality with Loop & Friends. 22 different shapes provide customers with plenty of creative freedom to find the perfect bath to match their bathroom as well as their own style. Whether a square or oval interior, free-standing, built-in or a space-saving solution – the design of the bath ensures a luxurious bathing experience, in whatever shape or form, thanks to its sophisticated ergonomics and low interior depth.
Numerous awards for outstanding designs
Chris Hegeman's and Johan de Groot's outstanding understanding of design is also reflected in numerous design awards. Their designs have won the renowned Red Dot Design Award several times: in 2012 for Loop & Friends, in 2014 for Architectura MetalRim and in 2016 for the Just Silence whirlpool, which was also awarded the iF Design Award in 2015. Their Squaro Edge 12 bath also received the Interior Innovation Award in 2014.