LAUFEN Forum space reimagined by Snøhetta

Posted in Products on 28 June, 2024

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, near Basel.

The Snøhetta team has completely reimagined the LAUFEN Forum, creating a new reception area, events space, showroom and product display area.

The main central space is designed for events and meetings.

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.

“It was important to us that the core of the LAUFEN brand was the focus in the newly designed LAUFEN Forum,” says Patrick Lüth, managing director of Snøhetta Studio. “The essence of LAUFEN is represented in the tension between materiality, design and technical perfection.”

The entrance area is a deliberately tactile space, featuring clay and brass.

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.

Above left: Each LAUFEN collection has its own colourful niche; Above right: Upstairs, LAUFEN products are displayed on industrial shelves and moveable racks.

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.

“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,” says Roger Furrer, LAUFEN Brand Director.

Stockist: 01530 510007 or laufen.co.uk/point-of-sales