Laufen Swiss Architecture tour
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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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( n+ Y* X# v K# YThe 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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" v, z+ L! m0 A0 EYou 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.; n( T" t |: |- B
# F$ P/ S% ~& Y5 uThe Laufen Forum sits alongside the company’s headquarters and acts as a showroom and visitor centre.0 {9 a$ g) {$ z5 [
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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.- l! Y: x4 f: ?' D- W F
' ` r$ c6 O. P0 AThe 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.* A7 Y$ ]/ c5 `+ z
0 n7 P- \5 h2 O/ eThe building is almost entirely windowless but the central events area is lit by skylights punched into the roof.
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' r+ y/ s5 @/ z1 ?& ` xThe 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./ ?/ q+ ]! j3 Z# V& D7 k4 p
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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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, ]1 Z6 m8 [. @7 D& }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.& C6 Q$ |+ j- f5 z% l
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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 a. P* j7 J& R, ?
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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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