Laufen Swiss Architecture tour # u  |  `+ [2 X* I , ~) c8 f. {0 e& l, m" T( X - [' t% ]9 p: oDezeen 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. 8 U3 X5 M; ~  J: ~ * f6 u9 q1 e5 p/ G- P6 Z[/url] 3 o6 q( ^, I7 V1 AThe 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. + r; ^; A4 A$ C9 I6 ^ * \% ?2 n( t; {' kYou 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. 4 {/ j" H% N) q: E1 I 6 D. L" I8 X( UThe Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre. . E0 B% W/ S' s. h% b4 f . J5 }/ g7 m& D3 G. U# N% x/ q; 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. 4 Q$ B* G5 W: P 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. % K5 ^/ ~! R: `3 ]% w# f The building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof. 3 `' ~+ H: ^( z. Q( j6 ^/ A" p2 p 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. 2 R; }( R1 s5 U4 C. T# E The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material. - e0 `1 e8 y2 @9 h8 C* ^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. 2 O& ]8 c% T" ?, a8 C6 y The Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding. 2 i4 g& ]$ y2 D8 A5 JThe 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 3 G- c  D7 ~  ?' G3 e" H0 F" G ! }( B  M  r8 `+ o4 D# }, {! g

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