Laufen Swiss Architecture tour) k/ v5 W2 r8 V+ J( }: l" K: v
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, `, {- I. K, K$ qDezeen 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.0 k2 F( e6 P" ~
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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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/ W2 w7 f, r+ k* o/ C+ dYou 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.2 m* Y' F9 b$ J! m6 d3 d
, P! b% T1 K4 m; i, ` cThe Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.& q' a0 f1 Z+ R7 V
& Y9 \% F+ d( g' [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.$ s; N$ A) r8 m; I2 A( s- T- R
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The building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.. R$ Z: m" H7 o# q2 k, K. N
+ q* o; M# N3 Q( W ZThe 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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The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.
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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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The Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding.
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The 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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