The Dutchtub, a streamlined and stylish hot tub master-minded by Netherlander designer Floris Schooderbeek, adds new dimensions to the pleasures of outdoor bathing: mobility and sustainability.

by Anna J. Kutor

Photo by Dutchtub

The ancient Romans are credited with first tapping the healing properties of hot-water bathing, a ritual
increasingly adopted and popularized by Western cosmopolitan sophisticates, but
it was the introduction of modern pool technology and smart innovations in
design that really turned hot-tubing into an icon of high-style hedonism. A
wholesome backyard amenity for high-end homeowners across American and Europe,
today’s tubs come in all shapes, sizes and high-tech bells and whistles. The
trendiest hot water worshipers, however, are looking for energy-saving
solutions  and highly customized experiences that takes their personal hydrotherapy sessions to a new level.
Enter Floris Schooderbeek and his ultra-portable and ecologically-sound
Dutchtub.

Liquid Leisure

A freestanding coffee cup-shaped bathing tub warmed by a wood-burning fire, the Dutchtub captures the essence of Einstein’s ‘everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler’
motto. No electricity, no chemicals and no hard-to-handle instructions: it’s
all about conventional yet clever physics and visually slick,
back-to-the-basics forms.

Photo by Dutchtub

“‘I wanted to make a clear and understandable design so I took half a sphere as the tub with a clearly visual
and technically strong heating element. I magnified the spiral that is used in
many heating installations and used it as a fire basket,” says
Schooderbeek, a 3D and industrial designer who believes in a no nonsense, form
follows function approach to innovation. The tub consists of two main components,
a four-legged 260-cm long and 84-cm high convex shell constructed of
lightweight and long-lasting fibre-glass polyester, and a closed-loop spiral of
stainless steel that harnesses the energy of burning wood to heat up the
800-litre tub. Through a natural convection system, the built-in coils draw
cold water from the  bottom of the basin
and circulate it to the top, warming up the water to a maximum of 38 degrees
within two hours of starting the fire. “Besides the pure functionality of
the spiral it also makes for a direct experience of water and fire. One client
told me he forgot to take the bath, he enjoyed the heating and excitement of
being in control of the natural system so much he went to bed when it was
heated.”

Photo by Dutchtub

Boundless Bathing

Schooderbeek developed the groundbreaking green gadget in 2002 while still studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Arnhem. Seeing the designs’ big-splash potential, he set up a company with
long-time friend and business partner Jochem Karstanje, slapped on a 4450 euro price
tag and began marketing the energy-efficient tub with a youthful sporty image
and fashion-forward color palette. The complete model, which can also be
rented for 250 euros per day, includes a cover for shorter warm-up time, a
custom-made wok for cooking that fits on top of the heating spiral and a
beverage chiller.

Beyond its pure and decadent aesthetics and eco-friendly features, what really sets
the four-seater Dutchtub apart from its competitors is its maneuverability and
diversity in terms of placement. When drained, the tub weighs 75 kilograms,
which makes it light enough to strap to a car’s roof rack or even on a raft
behind a canoe. This allows bathers to enjoy a hot soak in the middle of the
wilderness, atop a cloud-piercing skyscraper or in the comfort of their own
garden - the possibilities are virtually endless.