Laufen Swiss Architecture tour* Y3 O$ |9 d4 K4 {. Y: {
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Dezeen 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.4 L: N i6 a0 r: D5 T! ] |6 T
- r `+ e2 o5 z$ gYou 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.$ J7 c' `1 K: ~$ Z
' U2 \7 x+ S2 h* `The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.5 u4 K" a" }1 S4 T- ?
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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.! p6 U7 R5 g+ t0 c1 L, }
2 g; y$ M/ P+ m6 s! @+ ^" NThe 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.2 w) Z+ |1 i; {1 i) o w
, |: P- U8 c: a! P9 O! |! a- [The building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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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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The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.% _1 X- Q6 h2 D5 T
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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.0 Y3 z, H$ Y$ Z' y ]+ {7 W
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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.# e b z- e. m$ C2 l: p: f8 K
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