Laufen Swiss Architecture tour& ?$ I0 {1 q2 r5 ^- W
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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.9 {6 P: i" j" M) v7 u
7 J) j9 o8 S! x& q/ x8 LYou 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. ?5 z: E, S" W/ _# C: o8 B% _
0 M4 _/ C6 C6 X2 p6 b8 ZIts 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.0 V7 v$ o" t6 [7 G* L
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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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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.
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5 A( W6 Z6 P2 tThe production of the pieces still involves many manual processes and a thorough understanding of the nuances of the material.1 b4 \7 S4 H- y) P/ k2 \. b4 q3 _
+ N4 g! X9 M F2 Z' }9 [) XLaufen 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.
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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.7 ]- U" h: J8 `7 t/ b
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