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* j; Q# n0 H7 }( d1 d- S+ [- wDezeen 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.9 W; A1 t, N! {) u' x" X
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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.
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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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( P& j9 ]$ H4 `& R% L1 Z& f( ^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.* e4 D6 ~1 t8 }( f: ?
q) _; F# v' x6 H& x; aThe 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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* a3 t& k ]' B5 H8 L4 sThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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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.4 _* f* @3 g) ~7 v% K2 A, \: L
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The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.: L4 i- j' \( w, ]' \% X( Y8 K- \
: |2 n* ^5 ?- M; k: QLaufen 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.( ^/ \5 l0 p9 I5 m- m: i
\" Q. j9 u# n1 C6 ?2 ~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." v% I3 {( o! x2 M$ ]4 e
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