The Brief
Inventing a category
that didn't exist.
In 2003, the concept of a connected home was nascent, and the idea of a smart bathtub was entirely new. iHouse Brazil commissioned the design of a bathtub that could integrate into a full home automation ecosystem, responding to voice, scheduling, temperature control, lighting, and music, all from within the bath itself.
The project generated $5M in pre-orders before a single unit was in production, validating the category and establishing a new benchmark for what bathroom design could mean in a connected world.
Design Process
Pioneering at the edge
of what's possible.
01 · Discover
Redefining the Bathroom Experience
Conducted extensive research into bathroom rituals, wellness behaviors, and emerging connected home technology. Mapped user scenarios around relaxation, morning routines, and the role of water in daily wellness, identifying opportunities for intelligent personalization.
02 · Conceive
Category Creation
With no prior reference category, developed the entire design language from scratch. The core design insight: technology should be invisible in the bathroom. All interfaces, sensors, and connectivity elements were integrated without disrupting the serene aesthetic of the bathtub form.
03 · Develop
Waterproofing, Controls & Integration
Resolved the significant engineering challenges of integrating electronics in a wet environment. Collaborated with hardware engineers on sealed touch interfaces, embedded speakers, temperature sensors, and connectivity hardware that could all meet safety standards in water contact zones.
04 · Launch
$5M in Pre-Orders Before Production
The Smart-Hydro was unveiled as part of iHouse Brazil's connected home ecosystem to immediate commercial success, generating $5M in pre-orders a full year before production. It was widely covered as the world's first truly connected bathtub and established a new product category.
Design Development
Technology hidden
inside beauty.
Design Process
Inventing the interface
for a new category.
The Smart-Hydro demanded entirely new design thinking: how to integrate connected technology invisibly into a luxury wellness object, from early ecosystem UI concepts through waterproof hardware prototyping and home automation integration.
UI · UX Development
Concept Exploration
Prototypes · Physical Development