Laufen Swiss Architecture tour! j/ e, k2 }+ y- \9 C/ z: r" m
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) X# j3 I K6 J4 P% ^7 ~4 t' sDezeen promotion: last week, Dezeen attended an architectural tour of Basel and Zurich organised by Swiss bathroom brand Laufen that included a trip to their concrete showroom designed by Nissen Wentzlaff Architects.
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The tour featured viewings of buildings by established Swiss architects including [url=http://www.herzogdemeuron.com/]Herzog & de Meuron and new projects by upcoming practices such as EM2N, Stump & Schibili and Buchner Bründler.
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( {3 h, L' ^' w, A- u( h3 F, |You can see photos on our Facebook page from Basel and Zurich and a podcast featuring interviews with many of the architects will appear on Dezeen soon.
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The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.6 H3 g* g1 Q$ \; B9 j
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Its curved exterior form was inspired by one of Laufen’s most popular product ranges and was cast from concrete in a similar way to the production of ceramics.
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The interior of the Forum is designed to encourage a flow of movement, guiding visitors through the display of products before returning them to the entrance via a sweeping staircase.* Y4 I- @8 \& H- U% `
' T2 M" C L5 d! Z* \4 MThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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6 J c; f* ~$ G* a: [The tour also included a visit to the production facility on the same site as the Forum and headquarters, where the company has been producing wash basins, bidets and toilets for almost 120 years.
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( q# q* {# S8 y/ G! |) Q8 uThe production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.4 w: Q- p& V6 e% U) _
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Laufen collaborates with many leading designers on its product ranges including IlBagnoAlessi One (above), designed by Stefano Giavannoni, which features a wave-like form washing over the shelving unit.
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; L6 O7 n2 s' Q, j/ \0 ] tThe Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding.9 _) F# p! B. C; S8 ? C% S, X
" K3 ?9 {! [1 b4 |6 i. V4 M5 w: i: Z* gThe Palomba Collection (above) by Ludovica and Roberto Palomba has recently been expanded to include a double-basin version featuring asymmetric ‘fingerprints’ sunk into a 1600mm flat surface.
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