Laufen Swiss Architecture tour * a" R) o9 R! D4 V ( F& P9 I* ?# }2 c, jDezeen 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. $ `' C1 |! ?$ I) E+ _[/url] 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. % ?/ p# G) e% y2 Y4 x1 U2 yYou 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. The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre. : \) D2 g9 q# a( {7 _3 y+ _7 sIts 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. % y- i6 h/ A5 r - [% m1 e( H- Q3 P* j# ?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. + N& \; a+ g7 ~1 m: [8 p8 {   k* T/ v3 X( d7 Z3 HThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof. / n- h& {/ J% t: ?. |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. % v3 ]0 m; s& {9 j ; e% O) {" G& I8 _/ NThe production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material. 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. 3 P% a: c$ m- u* y- D1 O. m5 [" ~# D* d The Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding. ' f0 {4 G5 V' ]1 e! f * c; c8 U# F0 ~4 l! x- GThe 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. % P" B  Y( W5 j9 P7 l[Search:DCION ( e2 z0 Q6 l& u# i

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