Kohler(R) Purist Hatbox Toilet Honored With Prestigious Industrial Design Award

KOHLER, Wis., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Kohler Co., a global leader in kitchen and bath design, announces today that its Purist(R) Hatbox toilet has received a distinguished Gold Award in the Industrial Designers Society of America's (IDSA) annual Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEAs) competition. Epitomizing high fashion in the home, the new toilet will be bestowed this prestigious honor at a black tie ceremony on Saturday, August 27th during the IDSA's national conference hosted in Washington, D.C.

A perfect example of melding stark beauty with outstanding function, the Purist Hatbox toilet was selected from more than 1,300 entrants representing nearly 30 countries. The sleek, power-assisted toilet is among 38 entries that were awarded the coveted Gold Award, while 59 entries received Silver awards and 51 won Bronze awards.

"By rethinking the toilet with no preconceptions, Kohler has laid the groundwork for the next generation of toilets," said David Kohler, President of KOHLER Kitchen & Bath Group. "The Purist Hatbox toilet project challenged Kohler design associates to combine bold innovation, enhanced technology and great design to create a product that has redefined how we perceive the toilet."

Co-sponsored by IDSA and BusinessWeek magazine to celebrate the best and hottest product designs of the year, the annual international competition spans 11 different categories, from business equipment and new car designs to home furnishings and medical devices. This year's winners were selected by a jury of 17 non-affiliated designers, choosing winners based on five areas of industrial design excellence: design innovation, benefit to the user, benefit to the client/business, ecological responsibility, and appropriate aesthetics and appeal.

"Kohler has completely rethought the design of a toilet. By internalizing all of the requirements for functionality, the exterior has become a simple, well-proportioned container," remarked jury member Nasir Kassamali, IDSA member and owner of Luminaire. "This toilet can be incorporated anywhere in the modern bathroom."

Debuting at New York City's Fashion Week in February 2005, the Purist Hatbox toilet removes conventional cues of the traditional toilet to offer a clean aesthetic both visually and physically with its innovative tankless design. As a component of the popular KOHLER Purist Suite of products, the toilet stresses the clarity, geometry and precision of the Minimalist design school and offers a contemporary design choice in a typically traditionally designed product category.

The "tankless" design of the toilet was achieved by utilizing Kohler's exclusive Power Lite(TM) technology - a quiet .2-horsepower electric pump fully enclosed with in the toilet bowl that provides a strong, powerful flush utilizing 1.6 gallons of water. Combined with an electronic "soft touch" actuator along the side of the toilet and the option for the water supply line to attach inside the bowl base by coming up through the floor, a smooth, streamlined external surface is achieved, making the toilet incredibly easy to clean and visually impactful.

The Purist Hatbox toilet also offers Comfort Height(TM) seating - a comfortable, chair-height seating just over 17 inches tall that makes sitting down and stand up easy for people of all ages and statures. Adding to this convenience is an ergonomically designed toilet seat with Quiet-Close(TM) functionality to prevent slamming of the seat and eliminate unnecessary contact with the underside of the seat. The Purist Hatbox toilet is offered in six KOHLER colors - White, Biscuit, Ice(TM) Grey, Almond, Sandbar, and Thunder(TM) Grey.

For more information about the new Purist Hatbox toilet or any of the company's products, consumers may access the Kohler Co. Web site at http://kohler.com/ or call toll-free at 1-800-4-KOHLER.

Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wis., Kohler Co. is one of America's oldest and largest privately held companies. Kohler is a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bath products, engines and power generation systems, home interiors, and hospitality services.