#Italy #Milan #Kohler #Flamingo Estate #Milan Design Week

The Flamingo Estate Bathhouse by Kohler

Kohler, in collaboration with Richard Christiansen, the founder of Flamingo Estate, is set to unveil a compelling multi-sensory installation during the Milan Design Week in April 2026. This remarkable exhibition, located in the courtyard of Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea, aims to invite visitors into a natural sanctuary that intertwines architecture, landscape, and tranquility, creating a shared experience that acts as a portal for contemplation and rejuvenation.

At the heart of this innovative installation is a bold and brutalist-style bathhouse that draws inspiration from the iconic baths located in the California hills of Flamingo Estate. This stunning bathhouse presents a new design iteration of Kohler's renowned independent enameled cast iron bath, adorned with a genuine copper shell, contributing to a unique aesthetic that resonates with the raw beauty of its surroundings. The carefully curated exhibit reflects a palette of weathered metals and elemental surfaces, giving the impression that it has organically emerged from its environment rather than merely being inspired by it.

Rising amidst a meadow of wildflowers, the installation embodies a design philosophy rooted in reciprocity with nature. The Flamingo Estate Bathhouse transforms bathing into a restorative ritual, offering a place for solitude that slows the body, calms the mind, and enhances awareness of light, water, and natural materials. Central to this experience is the new Kohler Reverie enamelled cast iron bath, which boasts architectural precision and a rich textual quality, extending the design language of this heritage material. This bath, glowing in its warm surfaces, captures sunlight filtered through oversized stained glass windows, while 200 candles from Flamingo Estate embellish the walls, intensifying the warmth and deepening the experience of peaceful reflection.

The copper-clad form showcased in Milan represents 153 years of authentic craftsmanship from Kohler and signals a bold new chapter in material innovations. This includes the integration of traditional methods of molding, welding, and finishing, crafted by hand, demonstrating how they can coexist with contemporary artistic expression to create the future of bath design.

Scattered throughout the wild garden are four unique pollinator baths, a concept envisioned by Christiansen and developed by Kohler, cast at its historic foundry in Wisconsin, USA. Each distinctive bath expands the narrative of interdependence between human craftsmanship and the natural world, serving as habitats for birds, bees, and other pollinating species. The pollinator baths echo the shared belief of Kohler and Flamingo Estate that sustainable living and well-being flourish when design aligns with the rhythms, needs, and poetic intelligence of nature.

This captivating collaborative setting underscores a passion for craft, culture, and lifestyles that find resilience in simplicity and sustainable wellness through connection with the natural world. The Flamingo Estate Bathhouse by Kohler will be open to the public during FuoriSalone at Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea, located at Via Palestro 14, 20121 Milan, Italy. Visitors can experience the installation from Tuesday, April 21, to Sunday, April 26, with designated visiting hours.

For those interested in experiencing this blend of nature and design, the bathhouse will be open as follows:

• - Tuesday: 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• - Wednesday: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
• - Thursday to Saturday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
• - Sunday: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Kohler Co. has been a leader in bold design and innovation for over 150 years, aiming to help people live comfortable, healthy, and sustainable lives through their kitchen and bath products, luxurious cabinetry, tiles, and plumbing fixtures. Since its founding in 1873, the private company has focused on creating solutions for sustainable living that enhance the quality of life for current and future generations.

Richard Christiansen’s Flamingo Estate, established in the 1940s atop the Los Angeles hills, has evolved from a hedonistic enclave into a celebration of nature’s offerings. The estate now emphasizes cultivating wild yet precious gifts at times when we need them most, steering away from mere products toward raw, natural materials that can be traced back to their origins.

If you wish to find out more about this innovative collaboration or need visuals for your publications, Kohler's press department is ready to assist.

For additional imagery and information, please refer to the press materials provided.