A one-of-a-kind design initiative, Flush is the talk of the town. A collaboration between local businesses, manufacturers and emerging creative talents, Flush transforms the bathroom facilities of nine different hospitality venues and cultural attractions within the fashionable neighbourhood of Wyck.
‘Most of the time toilets are a bit forgotten when it comes to the interior design of a restaurant or hotel,’ says Wieke Forschelen, Mosa representative. ‘But a restroom can have a dramatic impact on the customer experience of a bar or hotel.’
Students of the Maastricht Academy of Fine Arts and Design were invited to redesign the bathrooms in nine diverse locations, with inspiration from the places of interest in the historic Dutch city and the extensive collection of Mosa tiles. It was a creative challenge for the students to transform the small spaces, says Forschelen, but Mosa supported their endeavours through the entire process.
‘Mosa tiles are designed to reflect the power that a beautifully and thoughtfully designed bathroom has to surprise and gratify,’ says Forschelen. ‘Using Mosa tiles and sanitary ware by Geberit and Sphinx, the students produced a wide range of interiors – from vibrantly patterned, to elegant monochrome and softly coloured spaces.’
Flush was born from an idea conceived by Mosa’s CEO Remon Veraart, Communication & PR Specialist Véronique van den Eertwegh, entrepreneur and local resident Leon Maes, and La Bergère Group’s managing director Rino Soeters. It’s a new kind of tourism, inviting visitors to walk through the city and visit top hospitality destinations – and their bathrooms.
The Flush website has a map of the participating locations, which are the Centre Céramique, the Bonnefanten Museum, the Bouchon d'en Face bistro, the Carnal Steakhouse and Burgerlijk restaurants, the Coffeelovers Café, the Townhouse Designhotel, the SAP Bagel & Juice Bar/UMAMI by Han restaurants, and the Wyck Bazaar market.
The new Bonnefanten Museum bathrooms
Chosen as places of interest to locals as well as to tourists, the Flush host venues enjoyed a creative makeover with some extra publicity, as well as an improved customer experience.
Practically speaking, Flush is also a living showcase for the products and materials used. Architects and clients visiting the Mosa flagship store in Maastricht can be taken on a short tour of the city which includes the Bonnefanten Museum of fine art, dine at a popular restaurant, and stay in a trendy hotel – combining business with pleasure. ‘It’s a chance to show the design possibilities when using our products,’ says Forschelen.
The new Burgerlijk Restaurant bathroom
That’s an added bonus, however. Flush is primarily a community initiative focused on emphasizing the dynamism of the city and specifically the potential of Wyck, as well as promoting and providing opportunities to fresh local talent. ‘Mosa is a company that has its roots in Maastricht,’ says Forschelen. ‘For more than 130 years, the Mosa factory has played an important role in the manufacturing industry of the city.’
‘We are closely connected to Maastricht, and for that reason, we wanted to be part of a representation of the city’s creative potential.’
The new Townhouse Hotel bathroom design has become the poster child of the Flush project
Visit flush.nl for complete project details and a map of the participating locations.
