Roca

‘A Beat of Water’ is an artistic installation designed by the internationally acclaimed BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group that explores the crucial role of water in both private and public spaces. Reaffirming its commitment to sustainability, Roca highlights the importance of responsible consumption and the potential of smart technology to optimise water use.

Water is one of the planet’s most precious resources, yet its demand continues to grow at an alarming rate. ‘A Beat of Water’ is a striking artistic interpretation of this reality, inviting visitors to experience the invisible journey of water and fostering a deeper understanding of the value of water and the role of innovation in its conservation.

Measuring 14 metres in length and 3.5 metres in height, the installation is constructed from 300 linear metres of galvanised steel pipes. These pipes form two dynamic spaces that offer a multisensory journey, engaging visitors with the movement, sound and rhythm of water. The closed-loop system continuously circulates water, minimising waste while visually illustrating the water cycle. Integrated seating turns the space into a communal hub, where design, technology, and nature converge to highlight water’s vital role.

 

The Power of Conscious Consumption

At the heart of the installation is Roca Connect, Roca’s cloud-based smart water management system designed to optimise consumption through real-time data analysis. Visitors can interact directly with the flow of water, experiencing first-hand how controlled use can contribute to conservation.

The installation features four interactive buttons that allow visitors to pause the flow of water and reflect on their daily water use. This moment of reflection is reinforced by informative displays about water consumption and Roca’s smart bathroom solutions – smart showers, smart toilets and flushing systems –integrated with Roca Connect.

A Beat of Water demonstrates the role of data and technology in managing water efficiently and highlights how small, conscious choices can significantly reduce water consumption – especially in the bathroom, which accounts for 80% of household water use.

 

A Call to Action

More than an artistic expression, ‘A Beat of Water’ is a call to action. It challenges conventional perceptions of water consumption and highlights the balance between design, innovation and responsibility. By merging architecture, technology and sustainability, Roca and BIG deliver an experience that not only inspires but also provides tangible solutions for a more efficient and conscious future.

Roca’s installation can be visited from 7 to 17 April in the courtyard of the Università degli Studi di Milano (Via Festa del Perdono 7) as part of the INTERNI Cre-Action exhibition-event at Fuorisalone 2025. 

About BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group

BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group is a Copenhagen, New York, London, Barcelona, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Zurich, Bhutan and Oslo-based group of architects, designers, urbanists, landscape professionals, interior and product designers, researchers, and inventors. Led by Bjarke Ingels, the studio is currently involved in projects throughout Europe, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East. BIG’s architecture emerges out of a careful analysis of how contemporary life constantly evolves and changes. BIG believes that by hitting the fertile overlap between pragmatic and utopia, architects can find the freedom to change the surface of our planet, to better fit contemporary life forms.