Header: Studio Ellisse
The HUM faucet collection, designed by Philippe Malouin for QuadroDesign, was developed over a two-year period that began with an initial meeting in 2023 and led to the full launch of the collection in 2025. The collaboration brought together Malouin’s design approach, which is focused on reducing objects to their most essential form, and QuadroDesign’s emphasis on material integrity, technical precision, and long-term durability.
Discussions and stainless steel
The project grew out of conversations between Malouin and Enrico Magistro, Art Director and co-owner of QuadroDesign, which revolved around the role of stainless steel as a material known for its resistance, longevity, and neutrality. These discussions helped define the direction of the collection, ending up with the removal of decorative or non-essential elements so that the functional and structural properties of the material could have the spotlight.
The design process
The starting point was a simple physical gesture: holding a stainless steel cylinder. This moment led Malouin to introduce a single, continuous curve that would serve as the defining element of the collection. Though Malouin’s previous work includes furniture, interiors, and objects, the HUM collection marked his first experience designing faucets, giving him new technical considerations and performance requirements.
Working closely with the QuadroDesign engineering team, Malouin was involved in the practical aspects of water flow, pressure control, and mechanical tolerances—factors that shaped both the appearance and construction of the final product.
To further explore the collaboration, curator and design historian Maria Cristina Didero interviewed Malouin. The designer was challenged to answer seven questions that addressed the project’s origins, development, and the challenges involved in translating a design vision into a functioning collection.
After everything, the result is ready to be welcomed into the many homes of the world. This series includes mixers for washbasins in various heights and configurations, wall-mounted models with integrated spouts, two- and three-hole basin taps, shower and bathtub mixers, free-standing units, hand showers, and shower heads.
