Laufen Swiss Architecture tour1 J! H$ O# O4 R* `9 x2 h
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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.0 u6 ~- [0 @3 c5 l( E6 c% g
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: d6 k, T, b4 ]3 kThe 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.
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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.( l. L! {3 h+ U0 Y6 K' r
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The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.3 S. |' z8 O# Y
: k; U, o1 h3 l# yIts 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.3 ~/ ?+ q' `0 E* k% `$ u, X
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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./ e: H$ e- v+ Q4 Y/ ~) W S; s
9 B3 y' m# W( qThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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% W' V7 w, `2 w$ D/ K" GThe 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./ J" H6 b" R# x! F5 t" |
) Z7 R/ l0 O \ f) h8 xThe production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.
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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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7 x: d6 h4 T, L3 y' CThe Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding.1 ~; w% a1 \0 j& C5 P
% g+ {+ O6 t3 X; } a: F! N- pThe 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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