What the Flush? This New $25,000 Designer Toilet Is Described As Brutalist Sculpture

Look, we’re all for beautiful objects. We post a lot about cutting-edge design, stylish products, and unique form factors. So on the face of it, Kohler’s latest design should resonate well for us.

But is a limited-edition, super high-end, architect-designed brutalist toilet a bit much? Or is a lava-orange, textured luxury toilet the next big thing?

Designed by British architect Samuel Ross, the toilet is undoubtedly new and different looking. We’re not denying that.

But should such a thing exist in the first place? Especially at an eye-gouging $25,000 dollars? Meet the Formation 02. And no, it’s not quite April Fool’s day yet.

Surely, the toilet has automated bidet features, and all of the niceties that you can find for a tenth of the price. The extreme design and pricing seem to be a way to test the limits of what people deem worth spending time and money on.

Indeed, the designer seems to place this toilet not in the realm of mere appliances, but of actual sculptures.

With a slab-sided, lava orange design, the Formation 02 seems to be the conversation pieces to end all conversation pieces. But does that mean you lead your house guest into your bathroom to discuss this luxurious toilet? Do you offer them a journey of self exploration?

Does it make sense to describe a toiled through the lens of an architectural movement? If so, what’s the limit?

We can only imagine there are people with too much money already planning a redecoration of their bathrooms, to accommodate this bright orange contraption.

Does a ‘functional sculpture’ like this justify its cost and extreme design?

Samuel Ross states:

“It has such an intensity that pulls you in by use of the colour and by use of the asymmetry,” he said. “So I would argue that it’s actually closer to a sculpture, it just happens to have an incredible function.”

“It’s also a new price band for that type of product, which will retail at roughly around $25,000 per unit,” he added.

“So it places itself in this incredible grey area in design at the moment, between object and artefact and design object versus functional object.”

We’re intrigued to see how and if objects like the Formation 02 take off, and if they bring about new thinking for appliances of all types. 

Learn more about the very orange, very expensive toilet on Kohler’s website.