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1 {" o5 b# ]7 a" O" K4 M3 fDezeen 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.9 q" e( {. y& r+ \
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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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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.; h7 B0 r2 l- b. A' e* x3 u
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The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.9 p" f! I9 v3 k& K, l. W
7 l( D5 B3 V" [5 w- }: WIts 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.) ~ k, {3 f/ @; g1 L: V
; i; l" \6 @% p! rThe 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( R: G+ {* Y9 ^' M: e1 S
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The building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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+ l2 i1 i) h4 |- t3 `4 K c5 |' pThe 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.+ H$ _/ X2 X7 p8 d3 n8 ^
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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.9 d4 m b" c4 [0 B
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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.0 z5 V* q! F* z2 B. x; i7 U2 A( l
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