Laufen Swiss Architecture tour
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; z$ N" @, n8 `8 u/ xDezeen 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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, c2 I6 P$ q) X! e5 xThe 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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; _# Y' n2 ?5 T' U; `; w: kYou 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.* B( s$ L9 j7 T% R+ Z2 g
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The Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.* O' v8 \( _' P/ }1 D4 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.# g2 o3 o y* j K1 h6 f% W
3 }! V7 q3 d1 T1 k/ SThe 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.* g2 C0 m. d' I: U# c7 A) k; J8 m
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The building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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o7 V$ n% J( E- t' Y# yThe 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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The production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.' _$ U b4 e; X: @8 E' r
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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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The Living Square collection (above) by Stuttgart designer Andreas Dimitriadis of Platinumdesign has a shallow basin and sharply defined edges that require precise moulding.6 j) O* l& ]% Y% W. _( O5 B" D
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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.2 u s1 {5 R0 J8 H+ R( L
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