Laufen Swiss Architecture tour 7 s+ Q) f" z6 [% g ) n7 T7 i% n2 D, X: a 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. [/url] ' l( M: a* ]+ a- b. H! D1 o' gThe 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. : @. K! S( d$ z 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. 2 ~' T9 B) Z( [7 T' b The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre. 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. 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. 7 b& }1 e/ x# O The building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof. 1 b6 {* z+ f  J. [+ k$ e$ A* z. R - M2 m! p$ C- I" oThe 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. 5 B6 E) j7 g8 v  G0 o# _The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material. 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. 7 v( Q! _9 V1 k7 T5 Z6 f5 m The Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding. ! p4 T5 K3 ?& p/ {  Y$ cThe 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 6 y# t2 B- ^) f9 d + y5 q7 c1 T$ A; v" S

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