Winning Numbers

- Ute Junker

It is easy to forgive Vola, producers of premium Danish tapware and bathroom fittings, a touch of vanity. At their striking headquarters – a bold contemporary structure located on the fringes of the small Danish town of Horsens – a double-height, light-filled corridor leads visitors into the heart of the building. Set into the concrete wall is a series of round display cases, each featuring an item from Vola’s range.

It wouldn’t work for every company, but Vola’s sculptural designs are works of art in their own right. Take the ‘060’, a wallmounted shower which has its nozzles recessed behind a stainless steel plate. Not only is it a major style statement it is also much easier to clean than a standard showerhead. At Vola – a company that favours product numbers rather than names – practicality counts just as much as style.

The company’s best-selling item is the ‘T39’ heated towel rail, which accounts for almost 10 per cent of the company’s sales. Using cantilevering to great effect, the rack’s technical elements are buried within the wall, its rails floating free at one end. Customers can choose how many rails they want, as well as dictating the distance between the rails, to ensure that they line up with the tiling on their walls.