MAKING OF – THE TOTO APPROACH TO DESIGN

TOTO’s new design is intentionally approachable. NEOREST WX, the new toilet with integrated WASHLET, is the quintessential expression of TOTO’s expertise. It stands for an innovative and integrated design.

Round, flowing shapes promote a feeling of security and well-being during use, the creative minds at TOTO know. These insights are incorporated into the design. Photo: TOTO

Approximately 100 creative minds contribute to the design at TOTO. For the first time, the design team of the Japanese sanitary expert offers insights into their internal design process with the introduction of the new NEOREST WX. This unveiling highlights the exceptional level of perfection, the interplay between design and technology, and the vital roles of "design reviews" and "interdisciplinary teams" within the company. It also underscores why the pursuit of "kaizen" – the continuous quest for improvement – is an inherent aspect of Japanese design culture.

To develop innovations, TOTO places particular emphasis on collaboration between its internal design and engineering teams. It is important that design and engineering experts are in constant exchange and discuss, for example, how users will live in the future. Photo: TOTO

Durability and continuity significantly influence the daily work of TOTO designers. Many of the 100 creative minds in the Design department have dedicated their entire professional lives to this role, a common trend in the Japanese labor market. While they may switch between product categories – from faucets to toilets or shower systems, for instance – each year, they engage in up to 140 diverse design projects for the international market. The development of more intricate products can extend over four years. The recently introduced NEOREST WX represents the pinnacle of the collection's design evolution, taking two years to develop alone. NEOREST remains TOTO's premium brand, with the NEOREST toilets featuring integrated WASHLET becoming noteworthy design highlights over the years. TOTO unveiled the latest NEOREST model at ISH 2023: a wall-mounted version concealing the toilet's numerous features and functionalities from view.

Products are created in the context of interior design. Internationally focused sanitaryware expert TOTO conducts extensive research on current trends and styles around the world. Photo: TOTO

"The understated presence" is a defining characteristic of TOTO's design philosophy. TOTO Ltd.'s Design department in Tokyo serves as the origin for all designs distributed globally. Design Director Yoku Hirotsu emphasizes the importance of considering the users of their products. The design's purpose is to enhance people's lives and personal comfort daily. This philosophy inspired the principles of "user-friendly design," "harmony" in aesthetic elements, and "true beauty" in design suitability and long-lasting aesthetics. Achieving comfort while considering the intimacy of product use, such as with curved, flowing lines, promotes well-being and a sense of safety.

In the development of new products, TOTO also uses 3D glasses for computer-aided, enhanced perception. Photo: TOTO

The fusion of technology and design is central to the Japanese understanding of design. TOTO recognizes that the perfect design is elusive, given evolving user needs and advancing technologies. Collaboration between internal Design and Engineering teams is a priority at TOTO, fostering innovation that aligns technology and design. Yuji Yoshioka, TOTO Design Director for NEOREST WX, stresses the importance of constant communication between design and engineering experts to envision how people will live in the future. Teams from Marketing, Digital Technologies, Design Modelling, Computer Graphics, and Prototype Modelling collaborate on innovative projects, with interdisciplinary teams working on the development of new technologies.

TOTO has outstanding expertise in joining the various materials of ceramic and plastic - as here in a WASHLET - without joints and allowing a coherent form to emerge. Photo: TOTO

TOTO's primary focus is creating new user experiences. This involves devising comfort and hygiene technologies and seamlessly integrating them into products. The design process emphasizes finding the right shape and materials to intensify the sense of comfort, hygiene, and peace of mind. The seamless, streamlined design characteristic of the TOTO brand is evident in many products. The challenge is more pronounced with TOTO WASHLET due to the use of both ceramic and plastic materials. The new NEOREST WX, designed for the luxury segment, boasts a perfectly seamless, organic, and flowing design that requires technological expertise to blend different materials effectively.

Depending on the stage of the design process, teams from marketing, digital engineering, design modeling, computer graphics or prototype modeling collaborate at TOTO. Photo: TOTO

The evolution of TOTO's design approach occurred in 2015, marked by a shift in priorities based on research, customer interviews, and insights from industry events. The global market, especially Europe, influenced the adoption of gentler, softer shapes and a design aligned with global interior design trends. Design Director Yuko Hirotsu emphasizes the incorporation of emotional concepts and a fresh perspective on the entire collection, opening up to the global market through collaborative processes involving designers, engineers, sales departments, and management.

Operating elements should function in a simple and self-explanatory way. The complex technology contained in a WASHLET, for example, can be easily controlled via a remote control, and the symbols and signs are internationally understandable. Photo: TOTO

The guiding principle of the Japanese way of thinking is evident in TOTO's design. The focus is on the other person, not oneself, influencing development and design. The unspoken understanding to better appeal to other people's feelings informs the development of all TOTO products. This typically Japanese mindset, characterized by a keen sense for other people's well-being, resonates throughout TOTO collections, inspiring people globally.

TOTO NEOREST WASHLET WX2: 
https://shower-toilet.eu/toto-neorest-wx2-0-washlet-japan-japanese-shower-toilet-bidet-turn-key-all-in-one-combination.html

TOTO NEOREST WASHLET WX1:
https://shower-toilet.eu/toto-neorest-wx1-washlet-japan-japanese-shower-toilet-bidet-turn-key-all-in-one-combination.html