Laufen Swiss Architecture tour
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* p6 m& `; Z8 z" I$ RDezeen 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.0 n8 a. o" R& A2 X. q& @; S
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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.
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Y' H1 g* @. m( U2 kThe Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.( G- U8 e/ h7 G+ ^- B' 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.
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& V& [3 z' V" T. CThe 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.
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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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! C, }' h+ f) h& [' M! _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.0 m2 }. M- h0 H5 n+ \
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The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.; Y4 E G. [8 _$ J
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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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, P2 `& v1 @3 a. C; Y# a9 {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.- {$ L8 o# u) ^8 R, [) c4 x$ U
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