Form, function and feeling: Vincent Boccon-Gibod shares his approach to crafted bath design

It’s all based on Vincent’s belief that a bath should be more than a fixture. Of course, a bath must be functional, but with the right form, it becomes an architectural object that adds to the atmosphere of the room. After all, the interiors that stay with us are the ones that make us feel something: calm, welcome, grounded.

“Comfort is essential, but so is the feeling you get when you look at the bath. Some people want to make a statement. They want it to be something that completely changes the space,” says Vincent, and these are his personal favourite.

Guiding every design decision, Vincent is in close contact with his overseas team where every bath is made entirely by hand. 

“It’s a fully manual process,” he explains. “We prepare the mix, pour it into the mould manually and once it’s dry, we demould it. We have two moulds, one for the inner part of the bath and one for the outer, so once both are dry, we connect them together. From there, the finishing process starts.”

The finishing phase is a three-stage cycle of sanding, assessing, filling and sanding again, a particularly important step for terrazzo-style pieces where marble flecks need careful visual balancing.

“Sometimes the pattern doesn’t land where you want it, so we correct it. We refine until everything feels right. Only then do we seal the bath.”

From first pour to the final seal, the whole process takes around two weeks, allowing for drying time between each stage. It’s meticulous work that results in the creations Volupto is known for: sculptural with an organic, honest quality.

“Every product, even our standard products, is made manually.”

At home in Sydney, colour fan decks often cover Vincent’s desk where he looks out over the showroom. Here, he works in close collaboration with homeowners, architects and designers on bespoke projects, giving each design careful consideration before the making process starts.

“Every time we create a new colour, I want to make sure it’s absolutely right. We measure everything with a spectrophotometer, and the workshop sends me the readings to make sure it’s an exact match."

He loves this part of the process: hearing the plans for a new bathroom and how he can design a bath to perfectly suit. “If there’s already a hero element like a veined marble wall, they might want something a bit more subtle. If the space is a blank canvas, the bath can take on a more expressive role.”

Thankfully, working with stone composite makes most ideas possible. “It’s incredibly forgiving and allows us to achieve colours and finishes that concrete simply can’t.”

“It’s special to create pieces that make bathrooms unique. Going to work every day is a pleasure.”