Laufen Swiss Architecture tour ! \: G' N5 x& z  B6 b; o ; H( u/ W/ W# ~) s9 n8 `  x6 J  jDezeen 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. 1 w  h" o# Y3 T9 {/ ?- L7 N4 k [/url] 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. 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. The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre. : q4 B. u+ ~" B) g1 k: w; R* U% AIts 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. ! X8 g: h: _/ w* d# N1 `9 q& [ 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. - G2 q! k; {3 B" `, q& ZThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof. 3 M" {; q7 V; m  Q0 y5 M  N! `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. 6 m/ |8 a* ?5 l5 T1 [& ~: o, U   ~, N) C. e! ?% k3 l0 @9 {9 xThe production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material. : U; J7 B& _- \; I. B) f; E 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. ; w! F/ `) Y1 e2 V The Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding. ) o( Y$ g. i0 I4 L % y: m" Z8 D( i) L# G- @- P* p6 eThe 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. 7 U% M, Z/ d8 }* U1 [2 y( ~[Search:DCION % d8 |+ l9 A9 @8 l- y* V1 ~

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