Laufen Swiss Architecture tour4 x# r/ y* M6 g5 n
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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.
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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.& z; `; d' e; L3 {! P, A
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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.2 r/ D, \/ e9 J6 c
4 d0 n$ |/ n# [The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.( X ]* k2 b( i
$ ? ?9 t2 b7 H. F- L# K; j+ r) q2 FIts 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.! _" G; k8 d! p3 E( t
' _! @; w" h, t9 Z7 m8 d% lThe 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.- [4 S0 {- o' }) t5 \5 R% D
5 h* b: g+ [# |) q" T! y2 XThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.& C) I6 x1 C7 L/ F# ^' f
1 \# x% `0 A/ {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.3 ?4 b+ D. l* {- m. W$ P8 E
( l# _% X* V3 q% E; VThe 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.$ L' v& \2 R5 v: l! ^
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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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# o$ u- }* a& t( B( A3 G: \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., P6 J$ w7 f8 e% a
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