Corona Cascade – design within reach
Corona make kitchen and bathroom products and are one of Colombia’s oldest and most respected companies. Their mission is to deliver reliable and affordable water solutions that speak to their core Latin American customers.
In 2015 they reached out to GRO to bring an international perspective to their kitchen and bathroom portfolios and introduce new design thinking to the organization.
Cascade is an entry-level range of faucets made entirely from plastic for the very price-sensitive Latin American market. For us, the challenge was to create robust and durable plastic products that could bring good design within reach of even the most modest budget.
Understanding the market
As part of our research we visited small ‘Mom and Pop’ plumbing stores, where the most affordable bathroom and kitchen products are sold.
Hundreds of products – many unbranded – hang from every surface, without explanation or packaging. To be successful here, a product needs to sell itself and gain the trust of local plumbers who specify, install and maintain them.
Uncoated plastic
The Cascade Range is characterized by bold proportions and a disciplined geometry that express their robustness, durability and simplicity. It was important that the design should be distinctive and stand out, but still acceptable to all.
A fiesta of colour
Inspired by the vibrant visual palette of Colombia, we wanted to explore the colour opportunities that plastic allows.
"For our newly created in-house design team working with GRO was a fantastic experience. We learned so much from their expertise and at the same time they were open to hear our suggestions. The results speak for themselves; we got a stunning family of products, and won a Gold A'Design award."
Nicolas Ochoa BetancurPanamerican Design Director B&K
8” faucet with side levers
Although the Cascade products are very low-cost, they still follow international industry standards, making them as easy to specify and install as their conventional metal counterparts.
Water saving
For Cascade it was important that not only were the products affordable, but they would also reduce water use, for cheaper bills and for the environment.
Tall bathroom faucet
Tall faucets that stand over the edge of free-standing sinks have become increasingly popular and an essential item to include in every core range.
Shower head
The bold conic form suggests a strong water flow, and a discreet ball joint in the neck allows fine adjustment for a perfect shower experience.
Kitchen faucet
The tall kitchen faucet features a directable nozzle that is very useful when washing up and a cost-effective solution compared to more complex pull-out hoses.
Shared sense of purpose
For us, the collaboration with Corona was rewarding on many levels: creatively, culturally and socially.
Most importantly though, we worked together as a team towards a common goal: to create well-designed and dependable bathroom and kitchen products that everyone in Latin America could afford and be proud to own.
