Laufen Swiss Architecture tour . z8 A# G! H  [, L0 d0 Y2 n, ^* h 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. 1 o) x% [% n) }, D [/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. & t, W' p% @* K0 w2 ?7 u0 Y. O3 k 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. / k7 v2 I2 J( p, N9 ]1 `2 l The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre. : P5 {, C) F, h: V% N( JIts 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. & [/ d" ~* s2 p; p: g3 P/ C, o+ ^ 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. . q% w- y$ N$ n" `/ ]/ W1 B The building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof. $ Z$ J) F1 j( N: }7 WThe 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. " T# C- A' e5 ^! Q3 [ / n& D  k8 q4 W6 g1 @5 i) {The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.   T. [* f; A: Z! m 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. ! E' z+ @7 O9 k( \ 2 j9 I5 \' O) Q- ^6 J# }7 NThe Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding. 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. [Search:DCION ' R$ ^  C8 B9 ]9 B9 O

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