100 Years of Gmunden & European Capital of Culture Salzkammergut 2024
A Year Full of Projects
In 2024, the LAUFEN facility in Gmunden, a cornerstone of the region's rich ceramic heritage, will celebrate its 100th anniversary. This milestone coincides with Gmunden's participation as the "European Capital of Culture Salzkammergut 2024."
Remarkably, for the first time in 40 years, the European Union has chosen an entire region—encompassing 23 Austrian municipalities in Salzburg and Styria—to showcase the vibrant fusion of life, work, and culture in rural areas.
In celebration of this milestone, LAUFEN is launching a series of events, collaborations, and initiatives to highlight the rich industrial and cultural heritage at our core.
A notable project in Gmunden highlights our enduring tradition of collaborating with creatives. In partnership with the local transport company Stern & Hafferl and the Sculpture & Space department of the University of Applied Arts Vienna, artists have transformed the Klosterplatz tram stop. This intervention, featuring stacked ceramic panels from LAUFEN, is titled "How Much Weight Can a Boat Carry? / Can a Boat Carry Its Own Weight?" and prompts contemplation on what we, as a community, can or cannot bear. The artists explain: "The white ceramic elements on the roof and floor of the boat-shaped tram station at Klosterplatz symbolise the physical resources and products we depend on, as well as intangible values, customs, and traditions. Which of these do we want to preserve? Which do we want to discard?"
A crucial question will also be posed, in collaboration with experts, during the internationally attended Bioriginal Assembly in Gmunden from July 12 to September 29, 2024. How can we transition to a sustainable circular economy in the Salzkammergut bioregion? In addition to research programs, workshops, and exhibitions, there will be case studies and film screenings addressing this question. Austrian designers Katharina Mischer and Thomas Traxler from mischer’traxler studio will be exploring how our waste products could be integrated into future product developments for LAUFEN.
In September LAUFEN also will host an open house at the factory on September 5 during the Long Night of Industrial Culture. We will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the sustainable and innovative production of our sanitary ceramics. An entertaining, immersive Gmunden factory tour has been designed in collaboration with the Viennese designers studio mischer’traxler, specifically to mark our anniversary.
