With its slab-like stem and neatly curved spout, Co.Studio’s Andrew faucet is the pinnacle of sublime simplicity. To enhance its austerity, the designers did away with anything remotely superfluous, like knobs or handles. Instead, the faucet’s water flow is controlled by a single thin lever that operates like a joystick, then disappears into a notch in the faucet’s base when not in use, preserving an exceptionally clean profile without sacrificing ergonomics. It might take a while for users to apprehend the hidden controls, but that mystifying element offers its own kind of poetic beauty.

Project: Andrew

Studio: Co.Studio, Belgium

Designers: Gert Van den Steen and Christian Van Suetendael with Marc Dekegel, Alain Gillieaux and Louis-Philippe Gilleaux

Manufacturer: RVB, Belgium