Did you know that Italian architect Gio Ponti designed an elegant washbasin for the Palazzo Montecatini? And that it’s in production, courtesy of Rapsel in Italy? I didn’t, and now I’m imagining excuses for a bath remodel. Here’s a roundup of five architect-designed sinks:

Above: The most elegant washbasin we’ve seen: The wall-mounted Montecatini by Gio Ponti is available in titanic resin or in ceramic. Note the drain located to the right of the basin; pure genius. For information, go to Rapsel.

Above: Italian-born, London-based architect Claudio Silvestrin designed the “austere but not extreme” Le Giare collection for Ceramica Cielo.

Above: Architect Philipp Mainze’s waxed European oak components are available through e15.

Above: Hard to resist: the Ottocento Sink by Benedini Associates echoes the lines of traditional washbasins. Go to Agape for dealer information.

Above: Designed by Andrea Morgante, the Nivis Washbasin for Agape features a recessed soap holder.

Finally, get more ideas on how to evaluate and choose your bathroom sink and faucet in our Remodeling 101 Guide: Bathroom Sinks & Faucets.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on June 16, 2012.