mischer’traxler

Marking 100 years of ceramic production at LAUFEN’s Gmunden site, the factory tour offers a spatial narrative through an active manufacturing environment. Designed as a guided experience, it leads visitors through old hallways, working production lines, and quieter storage zones—revealing the evolution of ceramic making as both tradition and transformation.
From the outset, the tour is shaped by a principle of reuse. Existing factory elements were adapted wherever possible: structures from old assembly lines serve as display units, cast-off moulds become seating, and materials found in storage are reinterpreted as tables and platforms. New additions were kept to a minimum, with signage developed to withstand the site’s heat, humidity, and dust—bold neon-orange and deep green elements that clearly mark the path without disrupting the atmosphere.
The journey begins with an introduction to ceramic casting and its key steps, laying a foundation for recurring themes along the route. Visitors then pass through the raw material warehouse, the mixing zone where ceramic mass is prepared, and the archive of plaster moulds. Along the way, artistic interventions and layered graphics highlight LAUFEN’s ongoing developments in mould and glaze design, its innovative product lines, and its commitment to ecological transformation.
A key part of the route is the presentation of the world’s first industrial electric ceramic kiln—a technological shift toward more sustainable production. Several large murals by Maresch & Sturm accompany this section, stretching across the factory walls with vivid, site-specific illustrations that echo the transformation taking place.
The tour concludes in a quiet atelier space, where repurposed elements invite pause and reflection. Throughout, the route is carefully choreographed to balance clarity for those unfamiliar with ceramic production with insight for those more experienced. It reveals not only how things are made, but how spatial design and careful reuse can shape understanding—turning an active factory into a space of layered observation.