When industrial designer Ismo Reponen from IrePoint Oy started designing the Rento Pisara wash basin, he had seven different ideas for the new product. In the end, the concept of a clearly drop-shaped wash basin was created on the designer’s desk.
“Simplicity is beautiful. It is in the simplified design that the shape of the drop is best expressed,” Roponen says.
The new wash basin is part of a product family that includes a sauna bucket and a sauna ladle. The aim was also to make the new addition fit in with the product family, even though there have not been many drop-shaped wash basins in Finnish saunas before.
“Once the shape of the wash basin was clear, I started to work out how it would work in practice. I explored how the wash basin could be lifted and moved. The basic idea behind my design was that in a sauna, water is usually placed in a wash basin on the lowest sauna benches,” he says.
Next, the designer worked on the size of the wash basin. In the design, he had to decide how much water the wash basin should hold to make it practical. This included determining how much to raise the height of the wash basin.
“The wash basin must hold enough water so that it doesn’t need to be constantly refilled. However, I didn’t want to increase the height of the wash basin too much so that it didn’t end up too bucket-like. If the shape had been shallower, it wouldn’t have held enough water,” says Ismo Reponen, explaining his choice.
This is how the slightly taller than a standard wash basin, the smooth-sided Rento Pisara wash basin was created – with a completely novel look.
Sturdy, convenient, practical
The wash basin holds 8.5 liters of water. It is high enough to be ideal for footbaths, as water will not easily splash over the edges. The drop shape itself gives the wash basin a convenient pouring spout. The model is also easily stackable.
Ismo Reponen says that in his first drafts, the wash basin did not yet have the handles at the bottom.
“I came up with the solution for the sake of practicality. I was thinking of the person using the sauna and their soapy hands. My conclusion was that the wash basin needed something to grip onto, as simply pinching the edge of the wash basin with your fingers would be too difficult. Now the handles at the bottom allow you to support the weight with your fingers or palms and the wash basin won’t fall off your hands,” Reponen says.
A sauna enthusiast
The designer was inspired by the biocomposite material of the Rento Pisara collection.
“The material gives a nice structure to the products. As a result, each product is a little different. In the store, you can examine and compare textures and choose the pattern you like.”
Ismo Reponen thinks the Rento Pisara collection is a lovely-looking set that you can give as a housewarming gift or bring as a present to a friend’s cottage.
Reponen is also a true sauna lover himself. The designer’s home has two saunas: an electric sauna for a quick sauna bath and an authentic, wood-fired lakeside sauna.
“My inspiration for designing sauna products comes from my lakeside log sauna. There are no amenities like running water, so I know very well how a wash basin should function. It’s always a joyful day when you can go there and enjoy the gentle heat. It’s also the place where I always take my guests for a sauna,” Reponen says.
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