Laufen Swiss Architecture tour9 I% w4 S( D- c& x7 O
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; D- ?+ L; G: ?; ]# {: {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.
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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.4 ~0 f# y% e: r! \8 m
- k. u0 M+ K0 v( ]# I- u' j0 rYou 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.: G, n0 s5 v" B/ e3 `
! E. E( k& ]6 d/ uThe Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.- Z4 O! C0 c9 I' e; l* V! E
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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.+ I8 A+ [; ]. X5 ^3 r. @5 |2 R
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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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The building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.0 t5 o9 |/ N4 y
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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.9 d( q+ J' P9 P# ~
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The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.- S. w) B& s" P
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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.& {5 |+ X3 ]3 W( g) z
/ y6 U+ o. Q- H8 i. rThe 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.
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