Exploring the synergy between design and innovation at Roca Barcelona Gallery
The Design Dynamics: The Science Behind Innovation panel discussion, held at Roca Barcelona Gallery on 19 September, highlighted the extraordinary parallels between bathroom design and high-performance boat engineering. The discussion revealed how elements of physics and en-gineering are applied to optimise two vastly different products – the Boat One in the 37th Ameri-ca’s Cup and Roca“s cutting-edge bathroom solutions.
At first glance, designing boats for a high-profile racing competition and creating state-of-the-art commer-cial bathroom solutions may seem to have little in common. However, the similarities became clear when Roca“s Design Director, Ernest Hernández, and Alinghi Red Bull Racing“s designer, Gonzalo Redondo, shared insights into how both fields use cutting-edge technology, precision and the mastery of physical principles to create products that perform in the most demanding conditions.
At the heart of both industries is a sophisticated design process that begins with ideation – using pen and paper – and progresses through prototyping and validation. Alinghi Red Bull Racing focuses on creating a one-off prototype, meticulously designing wings and foils to achieve remarkable speeds of up to 50 knots for the world of competitive sailing. In contrast, Roca produces millions of bathroom solutions, ranging from toilets and smart toilets to faucets and solutions shower systems, each tailored to comfort, efficiency and sustainability.
This shared pursuit of excellence drives both brands to optimise performance and contribute to a more sustainable future. As Alinghi Red Bull Racing“s boats navigate the challenges of wind and water, Roca responds to market demands by incorporating innovative solutions that enhance the user experience while minimising environmental impact. These innovations include advanced flushing systems designed to reduce water consumption, as well as innovative faucet designs that ensure consistent water tempera-ture and flow, creating a seamless and comfortable experience in the bathroom while conserving re-sources.
Physics plays a crucial role in both realms. For Alinghi Red Bull Racing, foils are designed to lift the boat out of the water, using the principles of hydrodynamics and aerodynamics to minimise drag and achieve maximum speed and agility in the world’s most prestigious sailing competition. In contrast, Roca“s Avant toilet leverages the Venturi effect to accelerate the flow of water through a narrow passage, optimising pressure and flow rate.
Despite their different fields, Roca and Alinghi Red Bull Racing are further united by a commitment to pre-cision engineering and the use of advanced tools such as CAD and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to simulate and refine their designs. Both Roca and Alinghi Red Bull Racing use similar design processes and tools to optimise the performance of their respective products. Through advanced simulation tools like Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), both brands fine-tune flow for optimal efficiency.
Moving from virtual testing to real-world applications, both brands test their products under extreme con-ditions. For Alinghi Red Bull Racing, this includes stress tests in actual racing scenarios, where the foils must perform flawlessly against the forces of nature. For Roca, products are subjected to rigorous standards specific for each country building codes and technical specifications to ensure they can with-stand the demands of everyday use.
As Ernest Hernández commented, „Just as Alinghi Red Bull Racing designs boats with precision and speed in mind, we create bathrooms that provide a seamless, comfortable experience, integrating cutting-edge technology with atemporal design. Sustainability is woven into every decision, ensuring that our products not only perform beautifully but also contribute to environmental stewardship“. Gonzalo Redon-do further emphasised this shared philosophy: „Boat design requires the same precision and perfor-mance that Roca brings to bathroom design. Whether it“s ensuring that a boat cuts through the waves or that a bathroom product offers comfort and ease of use, the goal is to harmoniously combine beauty, function and environmental responsibility.“
Through this journey of shared innovation, Roca and Alinghi Red Bull Racing have demonstrated that de-sign, regardless of the industry, thrives on the same foundation of curiosity, experimentation, attention to detail and sustainability. The partnership between Roca and Alinghi Red Bull Racing is an example of how these shared processes drive innovation. By focusing on the details – whether it“s optimising a foil for peak performance on the ocean or refining a toilet to boost sustainability and wellbeing in everyday prod-ucts – both brands continue to push the boundaries of design and innovation to achieve excellence while building a better future for the planet. Their collaboration shows how the same engineering principles can be applied across industries to solve unique challenges.
About Alinghi Red Bull Racing
After over a decade away from the Cup, Alinghi, one of the most dynamic names in the history of the America“s Cup, is returning to battle for sailing“s highest honour. The consecutive-winning syndicate joins forces with Red Bull, the driving force in global sport, to create a new team: Alinghi Red Bull Racing.
The team sailed under the flag of the Societe Nautique de Geneve and was accompanied by its main partner Swiss watch brand TUDOR and co-partner Prysmian Group. The official Swiss challenger com-peted in the Selection Series for the 37th America“s Cup, in 2024 in Barcelona.
About the America’s Cup – History
The America“s Cup is the oldest sporting trophy in the world and is the most widely covered sailing event. It is a challenge between yacht clubs representing a nation. The New York Yacht Club held the trophy from 1851 for 132 years – the longest winning streak in sport – before losing it in 1983 to Australia. Since then, the America“s Cup has only been won by teams from the United States, Switzerland and New Zea-land.
The event is named after „America“, the US boat that sailed to England in 1851 to challenge the British racing fleet in Cowes on the Isle of Wight off the south coast of the UK.
Winners receive the America“s Cup trophy (also known as the Auld Mug) and earn the right to host the next edition, including defining the fundamental aspects of the competition.
37th America“s Cup in Barcelona
The current Defender of the America’s Cup is Emirates Team New Zealand, representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, after their win on home waters in March 2021. Ineos Britannia is the Challenger of Record. In March 2022, the Defender announced the 37th America“s Cup will be held in Barcelona, Spain.
The boat for the 37th edition is the AC75, a foiling monohull that was used during the previous edition. For the first time in history, a Women“s America“s Cup has been organised, alongside the third edition of the Youth America“s Cup, gathering the very best female and youth athletes from around the world onboard the AC40 One Design.
Roca is a company dedicated to the design, manufacturing and sale of bathroom products for architecture, construction and interior design. Founded in 1917, it combines tradition and knowledge with a pas-sion for innovation and respect for the environment, in order to meet the demands of customers and con-tribute to improving the well-being of society.
With sustainability as a key element in all its manufacturing processes and a commitment to ensure a better planet for future generations, Roca has implemented this philosophy in the 170 countries in which it operates and in its 79 factories, transmitting this daily to its more than 21,000 employees.
This family business is a market leader in Europe, Latin America and India. It also has a significant pres-ence in China and the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Australia and Africa. As a result, it is a world leader in its sector.
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