The budding young interior architects from Hannover University developed “myMood” in the summer semester of 2019 as a project specifically inspired by the lead theme of DOMOTEX 2020. In their quest to express their own personal interpretation of ATMYSPHERE , they called into question a number of fundamental assumptions about floors. They wanted to know, for instance, how floors can help create an individual atmosphere and what functions they can perform. And, most challengingly, they wanted to find out whether floors can transcend their conventional two-dimensionality and move into a higher plane and, along with that, a better future.

A floor to lean on

The result, “myMood”, is a modular flooring system which can be used to create individualized oases of relaxation that extend into all three dimensions. It can do this because it comprises a range of modules with wellness-enhancing functions. For example, if you want a nice warm foot spa complete with a comfy seat and a handy towel warmer, then you can achieve that in any number of ways and variants. You have total creative freedom because each module can connect with every other module.

Cleverly put-together

But first things first. Before diving into their project, the young designers undertook a comprehensive analysis of the pros and cons of currently available underfloor heating systems. Like the NuThinkers in the “Warm-Up” project, they took their inspiration from a project by fellow student Nele Ratjen, who created an easily reversible and zonable floor heating system for DOMOTEX 2018. The challenge now was to develop a sustainable system that combined functionality with attractive design. The result is “myMood” – a solution in which individual functional elements rise up out of the heated clay-tile floor. No matter what the design, the modules that make up the interior of these three-dimensional elements can be configured to ensure that the heating pipes always run true. The various characteristics and features of the project are designed to work together to ensure that high-quality yet sustainable relaxation zones can be integrated easily into any private residence or public building.

The sustainability part of the design brief means that all materials used must be fully removable and recyclable after use. The structures that extend up from the floor must therefore be made of a combination of natural materials and re-usable decorative elements. In “myMood”, the three-dimensional modules have substructures made of engineered wood of various thicknesses and are surfaced with thermally conductive ceramic tiles in the case of floor-heating modules, and cork in the case of non-heating modules. Thanks to these natural and visually appealing materials, all elements are pleasant to the touch, pleasing to the eye and easy on the environment, delivering the ultimate in feel-good relaxation.