LAUFEN has commissioned Norwegian design studio Snøhetta to create a new brand experience in the heart of the Swiss bathroom manufacturer’s headquarters in Laufen…
The Snøhetta team has completely reimagined the LAUFEN Forum, creating a new reception area, events space, showroom and product display area. LAUFEN and Snøhetta share a commitment to saving resources and in creating long-lasting solutions in architecture and design. As such, when it came to the redesign of the LAUFEN Forum space, the careful use of raw materials in production and efficient use of water formed a common foundation for the project.
Image credit: LAUFEN
“It was important to us that the core of the LAUFEN brand was the focus in the newly designed LAUFEN Forum,” commented Patrick Lüth, Managing Director of Snøhetta Studio. “The essence of LAUFEN is represented in the tension between materiality, design and technical perfection.”
The new entrance area features clay and brass, two essential materials for bathroom ceramics and fittings. There, visitors will find a wall and reception desk made of rammed earth, alongside a stunning wall of brass. With their contrasting, yet equally tactile, qualities, these materials symbolise the project’s focus on how LAUFEN brings together raw materials, technical know-how and aesthetics in its products.
Beyond the reception, the centre of the LAUFEN Forum is a circular space designed for events. Its light terrazzo floor tones with the exposed concrete of the curved, double-height building. Round the edge, niches display the various LAUFEN collections, each one in its signature colours. On the floor above, LAUFEN products are displayed on industrial shelves and wheeled racks, allowing visitors to move them around and test different product combinations.
Image credit: LAUFEN
“To truly connect with cultural life and remain relevant, a brand must go beyond traditional communication. LAUFEN’s expertise in ceramics and fittings is constantly evolving through collaborations with architects and designers,” stated Roger Furrer, LAUFEN Brand Director.
LAUFEN is a premium brand under the ROCA umbrella and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sanitaryware and bathroom furniture, with a global distribution network. For over 125 years, the LAUFEN brand has been using ceramic, the oldest malleable material known to man, to create innovative sanitary products in state-of-the-art manufacturing plants. What makes LAUFEN products unique is the combination of emotional Italian design and legendary Swiss precision, resulting in functional and aesthetically pleasing products. Additionally, LAUFEN is fully committed to preserving natural resources and environmentally friendly production.
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Main image credit: Laufen
