Laufen Swiss Architecture tour3 [+ c& i3 z: d6 x
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8 {6 M5 H4 T8 ~# {2 z; 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.
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j1 H4 _6 I0 r( ? s- Q/ OThe 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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" J# b- s& h+ T: J+ U9 s& 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.9 x- [; P% ]5 n6 V% O# g. v
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The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.8 J% g- k% K" a1 z' Y
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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.
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; G4 ~$ k( b2 P% g; ?3 L8 J$ bThe 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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& j4 l, {7 f+ ?9 w- tThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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, F! q) q/ y+ S# J7 w. ~4 nThe 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.
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2 e" }- {; _# Z: {The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.! F# z6 S: b% b3 N3 L$ v* X" x
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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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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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M! b. X4 Q: q+ }, ~) OThe 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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