Bathroom brand VitrA has opened a showroom in London’s Clerkenwell, where it will present its latest products and host design events. Spread across two floors of the Turnmill Building on Turnmill Street, VitrA London has been designed by architecture studio TP Bennett as a creative hub for architects and designers.

Divided up into different zones, it features a show space for bathroom collections by designers including Ross Lovegrove, Arik Levy, Terri Pecora and Claudio Bellini. It also includes a library of inspirational material, and a dedicated events space to host a programme of talks, workshops, social events and exhibitions, as Covid-19 regulations allow.

“The launch of our flagship VitrA London showroom marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our business, enabling us to engage more effectively with our national and international client base,” said Levent Giray, managing director of VitrA UK.

“VitrA London will allow us to further connect with the architecture and design community through a constructive, regular dialogue to devise new methodologies, concepts and solutions in a stimulating and dynamic environment.”

The ground floor centres around the events space, which is framed by a dynamic ceiling installation. This large flexible space can be used in a variety of ways; when it’s not being used for presentations or gatherings, it becomes an informal work or lounge space. Alongside the events space, the library space is stocked with a mix of books, magazines and material samples, and it accompanied by a terrazzo bar counter where conversations can take place with a cup of coffee or tea.

The rest of the ground floor serves as an exhibition space for VitrA’s collections, which include a wide range of sanitaryware, bathroom furniture, tiles and accessories. Downstairs, the brand has created a specification area, to help customers decide which products are best suited to their needs. A range of WCs and basins are on show, as well as detailed elements such as flush plates, to make the process of ordering as simple as possible. This floor also includes a virtual reality theatre, so that customers can visualise the bathroom in three dimensions and interact with the space.

Originating from Turkey, VitrA has grown to become a leading global bathroom brand, with 13 production facilities. The opening of VitrA London is a symbol of the company’s expansion in the UK, where it has been present in the UK market for over 25 years, and globally. The space has been designed with consideration of the Covid-19 pandemic, which until recently had prevented the opening of all retail in the UK.

The showroom is designed to allow social distancing and there are hand sanitising stations dotted throughout the interior. Face masks will be a requirement and VitrA promises to regularly clean the space between visits. “Despite the unprecedented challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are delighted to launch our flagship showroom in order to offer our partners and clients a fully integrated service for their bathroom projects including design consultations and specification support,” added Giray.