Laufen Swiss Architecture tour+ j9 ?0 L" Z" q0 t) ~+ i6 n
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& V1 _+ L; v' \ bDezeen 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.& q8 n5 _7 |' b
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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.2 o1 f5 w" J# X
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The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.& G* Q) z- D% ?, h
+ w( F8 S: u* bIts 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.' G5 X6 c% m6 ] t* P' q9 \" h! j
' e: Y- N; y$ @7 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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% z% V0 y' |7 Y# ~/ P% TThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.' M: ] I8 M* g' k8 W
6 f3 {0 l9 ?! k4 @$ `: i4 k' {+ 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.
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+ c6 [& n$ X; \: L( c. VThe production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.6 Y9 M, y% M$ D! W1 x, z5 S' n
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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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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.
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