Laufen Swiss Architecture tour1 G8 Y$ f; @/ ], d2 B- I
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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.) J: C/ g; V7 U$ i
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2 Q* P& @6 {& Z6 pThe 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.1 q# [7 S+ q1 E4 G% F/ e0 \
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The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.4 J U9 x8 w3 N4 R) @7 P' i
1 C2 d* E1 c* ?% _$ tIts 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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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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( j; w* U0 m8 ?% MThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.$ |" J0 T0 l; h; z4 \5 B! R. `. N5 w
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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. Y7 L: }, H, t" Y, Y
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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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1 `0 V5 g% i$ g! A: B t# nThe Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding.. K2 z7 F8 o/ w3 u# Q5 w- A: J
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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.5 K: X: G2 A& P$ m8 r2 s8 W" C; Y
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