Practical magic

As bathroom technology improves, items we once took for granted are vanishing. Realising the allure of simplicity, Villeroy & Boch has come up with a washbasin that taps into the demand for germ-free environments. Its Magic Basin (below), which won the best of the show award at last month's Hospitality Design Asia event in Hong Kong, does away with non-essentials, using sensors to detect not only the position of hands but also the water temperature desired. Water gently flows into the basin as though fed from a spring and the temperature is controlled by moving your hands to

the left (warmer) or right (cooler). The flow turns cold for two seconds after hands are removed, which apparently minimises the risk of bacteria developing and deposits remaining. The Magic Basin costs HK$21,800 and is available exclusively at colour.living, 333 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, tel: 2295 6881.