A British designer has created the world's first foldaway bathroom featuring two showers and a lavatory.
The space-saving Vertebrae stacks a sink, water cistern and shower-head into one 8ft steel column.
The £9,000 device, which looks like a sculpture or art installation, is the work of award-winning designer Paul Hernon, of Huddersfield, who created it with owners of small flats in mind.
He said: "I did lots of research and it became obvious to me that bathroom space was decreasing, particularly in apartments.
"I have created an intriguing but functional and simplistic space-saving bathroom by stacking the contents of a bathroom on top of one another. It is designed to utilise vertical space instead of horizontal floor space. It is quick to assemble and easy to maintain - all you need is a wet room to put it in.
"I think it pushes the boundariesof anything that has been done before. People who have seen it are completely blown away."
The two showers - one for adults and one for children - both rotate 180 degrees while the other units all rotate a full 360 degrees. They all twist around a steel column which contains all the piping, and each part simply pushes out when it is required.
Mr Hernon, 38, said his creation could fit into a smaller space than a traditional bathroom, meaning architects could design smaller bathrooms and free up more space for other rooms.
But he warned that the Vertebrae - named after the human spine - weighs 150 kilos, or more than 23 stone, and that householders might have to reinforce their bathroom floor before having it fitted.
The Vertebrae is expected to go on sale in 2009. Bespoke versions will be available with shaving mirrors, lights and other additions.
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Foldaway bathroom perfect for cramped flats
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