Laufen Swiss Architecture tour& s, N2 C- z9 A( i1 K. U# [
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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.
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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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7 U! j' t0 U& e! ^1 wThe Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.% ^& a' G8 \" t: j) y$ s9 V; W+ j
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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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! e; c( ~0 ?1 \) xThe 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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2 T/ T: d" e u. b9 zThe 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.0 i I; {. n& k! j( j9 V& d
2 h+ H) L1 H3 aThe production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material., ~3 l- {' R1 y
/ B9 C9 p3 _6 x. _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.% r8 }' ^. x: G, }% t
6 W. F, u) s5 v: ~6 h( B4 {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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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.; b% c0 ]( c) I: ~: i
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