Laufen Swiss Architecture tour
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3 A" G5 \7 b4 v5 x, |: K4 [4 ADezeen 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.6 l# i+ m' H% Q7 d) w
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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.+ I) o* a8 a+ ?+ ~9 a

7 Q6 l9 }8 Z% j/ K; o3 ^. iYou 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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The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.0 Q. J) [: Y- H+ ?% |

" _" g! V$ K5 P1 s0 K8 GIts 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.0 |* s# P7 |% O$ L) T
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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.
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* [& S) p; X$ j) s9 F9 WThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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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." s- R. J/ i. H3 D# n3 ?
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The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.3 H! _! M2 ? Q) `9 B! Z# D
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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.1 b4 C% R$ M: ~ c8 `' J
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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.) q) A7 |9 ~! ^$ C8 p3 B/ w
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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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