At first glance, it may not be apparent what AK/25 is exactly. Is it a door stop? An ultra-modern clothes hook? This ambiguity only enhances its appeal, however. AK/25 is, in fact, a faucet – one that emphasizes pure lines and a rigorous integrity that set it far above other bathroom fixtures.

A perfectly balanced composition of sleek flat volumes, the tap is the creation of Paik Sun Kim, the late South Korean artist-turned-architect-turned-spatial-designer whose work poetically blends philosophy, art and nature with a crisply modern aesthetic. Add to this amalgamation of disciplines a unique vision of how water can flow and the result is AK/25, a collection of fixtures for Aboutwater by Boffi and Fantini.

Eschewing the sinuous curves that one typically expects from a water spout, Paik Sun’s design features a stark horizontal plane that gracefully pivots on a concealed hinge. Opening and closing the spout in such a physical way, the designer posits, strengthens one’s connection to the water, which gently cascades from its structural source. (An equally beautiful, always-open version is also available.) 

The brass-coated fixture set’s matte-gunmetal PVD finish, moreover, evokes an artist’s heavy brush strokes on canvas, making it an original – even artistic – addition to any bathroom. 

AZ Awards category Design: Architectural Products Project AK/25 Designer Paik Sun Kim Manufacturer Aboutwater by Boffi and Fantini, Pella, Italy