geberit choreographs immersive dance of water and light at milan design week 2026

atelier oï prototypes geberit’s RŌS as poetry of flow

In the heart of Milan’s Tortona District, the boundaries between technical engineering and artistic innovation are dissolving. For Milan Design Week 2026, Geberit – a sanitary product manufacturer synonymous with the silent, invisible mastery of water – has stepped out from behind the wall to present RŌS, an immersive installation created by atelier oï.

Under the overarching theme of Flow.Form.Function, the installation showcases design not as a finished, static product, but as a live rehearsal for a more harmonious reality. RŌS serves as a prototype of a sensory future where even the most functionally-engineered systems are imbued with grace.

RŌS by atelier oï is a shimmering choreography of 300 stainless-steel springs and water
Photo: Andrea Luca Ammann (Top Photo: Alejandro Ramirez Orozco)

the gentle sound of the water droplets turns the space into a place of calm and restoration
Photo: Alejandro Ramirez Orozco

architecture of a liquid dream

At the newly opened Geberit Experience Center, RŌS manifests as a shimmering landscape of three hundred fine stainless-steel springs. Here, water is no longer a hidden commodity but a central protagonist. Droplets glide along these metallic paths. Their behavior shifts between rhythmic precision and organic rebellion, merging, pausing, and splitting in a dance that reflects a human desire for both order and freedom.

Aurel Aebi, co-founder of atelier oï, suggests that the project thrives on the interplay of control and letting go. When water is allowed to show its character while remaining part of a structured system, a special kind of beauty emerges. This dialogue celebrates Mastering Water, a core expertise of Geberit, as it transcends the purely technical to become something deeply emotional and symbolic.

the poetry of flow shows water droplets dancing along precisely engineered metallic paths
Photo: Andrea Luca Ammann

a choreography oscillating between precision and freedom
Photo: Alejandro Ramirez Orozco

from technical logic to sensory experience

While the installation feels like an ethereal landscape, its soul is grounded in the holistic approach to the systems that sustain us. The movement of the droplets is a poetic translation of the Geberit SuperTube, a flow-optimized system that guides wastewater in a spiral movement to save space and resources. By bringing this functional logic into the light, the installation reveals how a deep understanding of water flow – from supply through to usage and drainage – shapes every design decision.

Geberit’s ability to safely and efficiently direct water throughout an entire building is the company’s core competence, known as Mastering Water. When we truly understand the movement and dynamics of water, we unlock the ability to create forms that use less, sound quieter, and live longer. It is a perspective where everything is perfectly coordinated – from the internal pipes to the visible toilet ceramics and shower drains – ensuring that technical excellence translates directly into a superior product experience.

Aurel Aebi (co-founder of atelier oï) and Christoph Behling (Head of Design at Geberit), moderated by Sofia Lekka Angelopoulou, (designboom’s Editor-in-Chief) discuss how the flow of water influences the design
Photo: Andrea Luca Ammann

The new Geberit Experience Center at Opificio 31, designed by Ippolito Fleitz Group, is more than a showroom; it is a laboratory for architects and designers to explore how individual components work in a unified system. It serves as a testing ground for how imagination and technical prowess can transform the mundane into the extraordinary. As visitors navigate the space, they are invited to witness how Geberit uses the power of water efficiently, offering a vision of what is possible when we dare to design for the fluid, moving world of tomorrow.

the new Geberit Experience Center in Milan is a hub for architectural innovation and exchange
Photo: Alejandro Ramirez Orozco

holistic systems in view explore perfectly coordinated behind-the-wall technology and in front-of-the wall design as a proof of Geberit’s Mastering Water
Photo: Alejandro Ramirez Orozco

project info:

brand: Geberit | @geberit_group

installation: RŌS

designer: atelier oï | @atelier_oi

venue: Geberit Experience Center, Opificio 31, Via Tortona 31, Milan

dates: 20–26 April 2026

opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 11 am to 9 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm

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