Baths have won both of the Reece Bathroom Innovation Awards (BIA) for 2011.

The product design competition awarded Justin Wagemakers of Blue Sky Design Group in Sydney, NSW, with the $20,000 professional prize for his design ‘Bathe’ (pictured below).

The $10,000 student prize went to Toby Nowland for his ‘Eggshell Bath’. Nowland is currently studying for his Master of Design (Product Design) at the University of South Australia. (pictured below).

The Reece BIA was established in 2005 to encourage original and innovative bathroom product design and to support emerging and established design talent.

This year’s award ceremony was held during Saturday in Design 2011 at Reece bathroom life, Surry Hills, and was hosted by Senator Matt Thistlethwaite, representing the Minister of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator the Honourable Kim Carr.

Reece marketing manager Belinda Geels said the company was inundated with inspiring entries in this year’s competition, including an influx of bath designs.

“As bathrooms have increased in size in recent years, consumers have embraced the bath as the centrepiece of the bathroom, so designers are responding to this key trend and putting their twist on the modern bathtub.

“So it’s not surprising that the winning designs in both the professional and student categories were freestanding baths.”

Commenting on the fact that both the professional and student winning entries were bathtubs, Wagemakers said: “The bathtub is taking on a new form within today’s modern home. New materials, production methods and customer needs are starting to transform the “known” bathtub into a new medium of relaxation and comfort. Designers are starting to see these opportunities and are creating some fantastic results.”

This year’s judging panel featured a host of industry experts, including David Clark (Vogue Living Editor), Shaynna Blaze (Interior designer and presenter on Selling Houses Australia), Andrea Wilson (Senior Interior Architect at ARM), Romano Adolini (internationally renowned architect and designer) and Belinda Geels,

For further information and to explore all the 2011 finalists entries, visit www.bathroominnovation.com.au.