A SHOWER FOR THE OUTDOORS - “Find sanctuary under the frond leaves”
The Frond is an outdoor shower for poolsides and beachfronts. Water flows under an acrylic leaf that can pivot downward to wash hands and feet. With hot and cold adjustments it’s easy to relax and refresh under the refuge of the Frond shower.
Competing Products - Outdoor showers come in a variety of different prices and are made from a range of different materials. The objective for this project is to design an outdoor shower that evokes a more emotional experience for taking a shower outside.
Creating a Shower Experience - Showers are typically designed with a nozzle and a spigot. In order to design the experience, I looked into the habits involved in taking a shower. Some of them include leaning, sitting and washing hands and feet.
Creating a Leaf Metaphor - Find sanctuary under the Frond leaf. Large banana frond leaves inspired the final shower design. Elements like the handle, pivot point, and base take inspiration from a banana tree. The large leaf pivots down to make washing hands and feet simple.
Fully Functional Prototype - The biggest challenge of this project was creating a full scale working prototype. This project included designing and installing custom plumbing, engineering water flow and developing a new hot and cold faucet mechanism.
Under a Frond - The final design is made of a drape form acrylic leaf, which sits on top of an aluminum trunk. The shower pivots 90 degrees, which makes it easy to wash hands and feet, through a counterbalanced hinge system. With the outdoor experience, the Frond shower makes you feel as if you are showering in a jungle.
The Final Design
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A Shower For the Outdoors
