Laufen Swiss Architecture tour2 _2 a; I) X4 e6 m1 ?" O; l
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/ m2 z1 N, z& y: T2 ]1 ]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.+ [2 _3 j. M% i {9 n0 i# W" Q
% P& f @& s" ?$ {8 k* a5 ?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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" J- Q! o: o. n. F/ }The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.! ?: A* H2 i/ [, C
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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.; X2 \& ?; Y# v" y. r4 C V2 D
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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.8 j% L3 @* g( k9 ]: q5 B1 Q( ?( K
/ p& @) Y/ x/ K6 N7 E" v- pThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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" K( `8 W C9 ]6 f" F. B! FThe 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.
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" t, W8 n% n" g7 ^/ \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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2 a; @! j: ~- U( d# G/ Y* \4 m" A1 y, rThe Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding.2 P* T, j' d! G( {; Y" n1 v
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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.
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