Laufen Swiss Architecture tour
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4 q* Z+ _( e, i: F1 [ KDezeen 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.2 y4 |. y/ L" I0 E2 R, w
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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.) u' O5 x( Y0 G1 O; ^
8 j/ [; K- m0 V+ cThe Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.' i |, y- H+ x8 d# c# ]
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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.! }# ~+ u* i+ X0 n. W# d; m
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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.- w- [' p( w# _5 n8 ~
5 u+ c0 t8 T! S$ oThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.) b. U; h. E* `$ j X
0 Q% `% _' S% M) z2 w/ zThe 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.4 A9 V L0 d; R( C2 Y* |
- H4 _8 `3 \$ @. mThe production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.0 n9 S5 g: x$ O% C
- Q- K3 ?2 Z' J& {" pLaufen 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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3 i/ F/ U- Y: m% z7 ]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.$ H4 S# u! U1 ~
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