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Entwurf • Design Fuhrimann Hächler, CH-Zürich
Bauherr • Client Laufen Bathrooms AG, CH-Laufen
Standort • Location Fiera Milano, IT-Mailand-Rho
Messe • Trade fair Salone del Mobile 2018
Fotos • Photos © Laufen Bathroom AG, CH-Laufen
Mehr Infos auf Seite • More infos on page 160

LAUFEN EXHIBITION

STAND IN MILAN

The Zurich architects Andreas Fuhrimann and Gabrielle
Hächler designed for Laufen the perhaps most archi-
tectural stand of the past Salone del Mobile. The cube
in Béton brut look does, however, not only have an
effect due to its strict forms but, above all, in the inter-
action with the appealingly staged product exhibition
full of winking moments.

T emporary architectures are not really their job. Whenever Andreas
Fuhrimann and Gabrielle Hächler build, their preference is to do
so with concrete – massive and made for eternity. That the two Zurich
thoroughbred architects could nevertheless be commissioned to
design an exhibition stand is nothing but a definitely quite small sen-
sation. The Swiss bathroom specialist Laufen succeeded with this task
for this year’s representation of the company at the Milan furniture fair
in April. Yet the architects were only completely convinced, as both
parties independently report, on the occasion of their visit to the
Laufen production halls in the Canton of Basel-Land. Here the archi-
tects were, on the one hand, impressed by the manufacturing process,
a combination of ancient craftsmanship and the latest robot technolo-
gy; on the other hand, it was the production site itself which showed
Fuhrimann and Hächler how highly their clients value architecture. Not
last, the mutual willingness to, for once, not take themselves all too
seriously may well have been decisive for the cooperation. For Milan,
Fuhrimann and Hächler thus designed an enclosed structure only
accessible through three low entrances and consisting of wood-cement
panels which, at least visually, quoted the architects favourite material.
Grundriss • Floor plan The current Laufen collections were staged in heavy-duty shelf units on
two sides of the cubic stand. For the main façade, the architects creat-
ed an installation of used casting moulds with some of them assem-
bled to form robot figures which were intended as a humoristic refer-
ence to the partly high-tech production processes at Laufen. The inside
of the stand opens to a large atrium around which four different exhi-
bition rooms as well as a lounge area were arranged. In contrast to the
rough look of the wood-cement panels, the side rooms were equipped
with high-gloss surfaces. Here the new product lines were cum grano
salis presented like works of art – some in “Petersburg hanging”, some
in form of a sculpture by Donald Judd. The product show with a twin-
kle in the eye had its highlight in a centrally positioned fountain which,
Hauptfassade • Main facade however, consisted of shower WCs.

AIT 9.2018 • 129