Laufen Swiss Architecture tour
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$ Z* E9 }( Z3 v. y+ N& `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.9 o; p1 r- e" G) [3 L+ Y) w
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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.
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0 Z# \ [3 k9 O- y2 A- zYou 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.
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The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.
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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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( n) s- c h1 w. gThe 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.% U# [! J3 i5 C: g. F1 C. f4 R
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The building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.# l2 A3 D7 G0 P
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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.. t, `9 \! b; }; E
1 U. t0 v4 s7 E% \The 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.
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0 w9 Q- o0 x2 A% Y* ?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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+ w* u( ~. `- D! 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.; J8 t; V& B p. \8 D, x, g
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