Categorize this design concept in the realm of “unnecessary, but we want it”. Royal College of Art student Simin Qiu’s Swirl concept was awarded a 2014 IF Concept Design Award for its innovative miniature turbine-powered, water flow shaping faucet design.
In theory, Qui’s tap-touch bathroom sink faucet would use 15% less water using the same water pressure compared to a typical faucet flow while also producing unexpected beauty. The liquid vortex is created by utilizing two separate flow elements of varying diameters, one spinning clockwise, the other counter-clockwise. Intertwined, the result is a mesmerizing liquid lattice or other unusual water flow designs, depending on the shape of the swirl form elements.