Flume Bathtub | Accessible Bathtub Concept Design

I’m always amazed at the creative thinking of industrial designers and how they can think of so many different ways to solve a problem. One problem I come across often when I work with people with disabilities is the want to soak in a bathtub. Many are unable to enter and exit a bathtub or have extreme difficulty doing so. Solutions have come in the forms of bath lifts, walk-in bathtubs, and rising wall bathtubs. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages. Recently designers Kim Jung Su, Yoon Ji Soo and Kim Dong Hwan won a Red Dot design award for their own take at the accessible bathtub problem. Their Flume Bathtub solution involves simple physics similar to a seesaw or balance scale.

Like a seesaw, the Flume Bathtub has a fulcrum near the center that allows it to tilt towards one end. On the sides of the bathtub are two steel handrails. While the bathtub is in this tilted position, the wheelchair user positions themselves facing the tilted end. With the wheelchair brakes on, the user grabs onto the handrails and pulls themselves into the bathtub. Then comes the seesaw physics part. As water fills the bathtub, the weight shifts the center of gravity and the bathtub tilts back to level. After bathing, the water drains and the bathtub tilts back again. The user then uses the handrails to push themselves back onto their wheelchair.

The Flume Bathtub is an intriguing one for those who still want to soak and bathe. A possible option for those who can transfer independently or who have someone to help transfer. The look is simple, clean, and minimalistic. With the freestanding form this also gives another alternative to the traditional built in bathtub.