Tonwerk

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January 2008 

Your Tonwerk dealer, our competent regional partner, will be pleased to provide 

you with further information, advice and support. 

Tonwerk Lausen AG 

Hauptstrasse 74 

4415 Lausen 

Switzerland 

Telephone: +41 (0)61 927 95 55 

Fax: +41 (0)61 927 95 58 

info@twlag.ch 

www.twlag.ch 

°CELSIUS 

All about staying cosy and warm 

RADIANT HEAT THE HEALTHY WAY TO ENJOY A WOOD FIRE 

HEATING WITH WOOD AN AGE-OLD PRINCIPLE WITH A BRIGHT FUTURE 

THE MODERN STORAGE STOVE A HEART OF STONE TO KEEP YOU SNUG 

TONWERK LAUSEN AG A LONG-ESTABLISHED COMPANY BREAKING NEW GROUND


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WOOD – A SOURCE OF ENERGY 

WITH A GREAT FUTURE 

Heating with wood is a cosy way to keep warm and 

has many environmental benefits, too – we explain why. 

A WARM HEART OF STONE 

Modern storage stoves combine the pleasant radiant heat 

of tiled stoves with the visual pleasure of an open fire 

or a chimney stove – what could be better? 

GAAN AND TONWERK – INVENTIVE SPIRIT 

PARTNERS OUTSTANDING CRAFTSMANSHIP 

The story behind the first Tonwerk Storage Stove – 

and the creation of a dream team. 

THE TONWERK STORAGE STOVE – 

A TRULY WINNING PRINCIPLE 

What’s the real secret of Tonwerk Storage Stoves? 

We take a closer look at the innovative technology behind 

the modern design. 

THE TONWERK STORAGE STOVES 

All the Tonwerk Storage Stoves at a glance: 

the T-ONE SWING (p. 12), the T-ONE STONE (p. 14), 

the T-LOFT (p. 16), the TOPOLINO (p. 18) 

and the new T-EYE (p. 20). 

22 T-LOFT PLUS – ECOLOGICAL 

CENTRAL HEATING IN YOUR LIVING ROOM 

If you live in a new or converted low-energy home, you may 

want to consider an efficient alternative heating system. 

We have just what you’re looking for: the Tonwerk T-LOFT PLUS 

storage stove. 

EDITORIAL 

Dear Reader, 

On a cold, wet November afternoon, what 

could be more welcome than the cosy 

warmth of a blazing fire in your living room? 

The heat radiated by a storage stove is an 

even more attractive proposition, and will 

keep you comfortably toasty for hours on 

end. Tonwerk Storage Stoves are marvels of 

modern technology, as we discovered. And 

whilst researching the many advantages of 

these systems we found out such a lot of 

interesting things about heating that we 

decided to devote a whole magazine to this 

fascinating topic, rather than just put 

together a product catalogue. We would 

certainly have found it difficult to explain 

all the benefits of Tonwerk Storage Stoves 

without also saying something about wood 

as a source of energy for the future, how 

burning wood can be good for the environment, 

healthy radiant heat, inno vative 

design and the remarkable history of 

Tonwerk Lausen AG. More than a product 

catalogue or a lifestyle magazine, we hope 

the resultant “magalogue” will provide you 

with an informative and entertaining in - 

sight into the many aspects of heating 

whilst also introducing you to a truly outstanding 

product and its multiple advantages: 

the Tonwerk Storage Stove. 

We hope our magalogue points you towards 

the cosy world of radiant heat – 

enjoy the read! 

The Editor 

24 WOOD-FIRED HEATING: ALL WELL AND GOOD – 

BUT WHAT ABOUT FINE-PARTICLE POLLUTION? 

The fine-particle pollution debate is a source of worry to 

wood-burning stove owners. But just what is particulate matter, 

and how genuinely environmentally friendly is heating with 

wood? We answer the most important questions. 

26 TONWERK LAUSEN – BUILT ON CLAY AND FIRE 

Tonwerk Lausen AG has been in business for over 

130 years. We report on the challenges and successes 

of a long history. 

28 FROM LAUSEN TO JAPAN – 

A SMALL SWISS BRAND CONQUERS 

THE BIG WIDE WORLD 

A success story made in Switzerland. 

30 ASK THE EXPERT: 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUYING 

A TONWERK STORAGE STOVE 

Top tips from master stove builder Arthur Kasper. 

Imprint 

Concept and design: mrg communications ag 

Edited by: Patricia Heyne 

Texts: Tobias Landau 

Dominique Wegmann 

Front page photo: Natacha Salamin 

Layout: Tommy Schilling 

Published by: Tonwerk Lausen AG


WOOD – A SOURCE OF ENERGY WITH A GREAT FUTURE 

As the world’s most important source of renewable energy, wood has many advantages. 

It keeps us snug and warm through cold days and frosty nights, lessens our 

dependence on fossil fuels, particularly in Europe, and offers excellent security of 

supply – now and in the future. 

Text: Tobias Landau 

500,000 years: that’s how long we’ve been 

using wood as fuel. The discovery and 

mastery of fire marked the debut of a new 

period of cultural development for man - 

kind. A haven of safety and security, the 

fireplace remained the centre of social 

activity for thousands of years. And now 

the authentic wood-fuelled fire is back in 

fashion – and no wonder, for the econo m ic 

and ecological advantages are many. 

Besides providing a local, cost-efficient 

source of energy, our forests (along with 

our seas and oceans) also play a key role 

in reducing the damage caused by fossil 

energy technologies, thereby helping to 

maintain the fragile equilibrium of the 

global environment. 

Plant life: a high-tech world 

Woodland areas are sophisticated, 

ingen ious ecosystems based on complex 

processes which we are not capable of 

reproducing, in spite of all our technical 

know-how. Trees take carbon dioxide, water 

and sunlight and produce that precious raw 

material and commodity, wood. Carbon 

dioxide is absorbed from the air through 

pores on the underside of leaves and water 

is drawn up from the soil. With the help of 

sunlight, carbon dioxide is separated into 

carbon and oxygen, and water into hydrogen 

and oxygen. The carbon and hydrogen 

are then converted to produce glucose, the 

tree’s basic source of food for energy. What - 

ever is left over is released into the air as 

pure oxygen, an undisputedly positive bypro 

duct of this unique natural phenomenon. 

4 

The CO 2 zero-sum game 

Burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil 

and gas releases large volumes of carbon 

dioxide (CO 2) into the environment. Pollu - 

tion from CO 2 has increased alarmingly in 

recent years, and is now acknowledged as 

the main cause of the scientifically proven 

greenhouse effect, a warming of the Earth’s 

surface which threatens to throw our climate 

seriously off balance. In contrast to 

fossil fuels, using wood for heating does 

not increase the level of CO 2 in the atmosphere: 

burning wood in a clean, correct 

manner produces exactly the same quantity 

of carbon dioxide as when the wood 

simply rots away in the forest – pre - 

cisely the amount the tree requires for its 

growth. Hence heating with wood (preferably 

sourced from sustainable forestry programmes) 

is a totally eco-friendly process 

in that you are “heating within a natural 

cycle.” 

Energy lying waste 

Although we already exploit part of our 

wood resources to generate energy, we 

could easily make use of much more: in 

Switzerland as in other countries in the 

temperate zone, the amount of wood we 

burn is more than matched by twice that 

volume in new growth. In fact, our forests 

could cope without problem even if we 

were to double or triple our consumption 

of wood for energy. In 2002, for example, 

some 2.6 million cubic metres of wood 

were burnt for fuel in Switzerland, which 

is equivalent to about 500,000 tonnes of 

fuel oil. Replacing a further 500,000 tonnes 

of fuel oil with wood would allow us to 

achieve as much as 30% of the CO 2 emissions 

reduction target specified under the 

Kyoto Protocol, to which Switzerland is a 

party. It is at least some comfort to know 

that, worldwide, the energy provided by 

wood already saves 1.5 million additional 

tonnes of CO 2 from entering the atmosphere 

every year (Source: Wood Energy 

in Switzerland, Georg August University, 

Goettingen). 

Wood energy – good for the forest, 

good for us 

Wooded areas have many benefits: 

they protect residential developments, 

roads and railways, help prevent flooding 

and soil erosion, generate clean air and a 

pleasant climate, and filter precious water. 

They also provide valuable recreational 

space for us, as well as a habitat for many 

species of animals and plants. As a source 

of wood, such areas guarantee rapid availability, 

short transport distances, risk-free 

storage and independence from fuel im - 

ports. Local wood has a great future as a 

provider of energy, and using it efficiently 

for heating is an excellent way of doing 

your bit to protect the environment and 

reduce the greenhouse effect – with the 

added bonus of helping to safeguard 

healthy, natural, attractive, regenerated 

forest land for future generations.


You’ll soon notice that all you get from hot air is 

cold feet. Instead of overheating too quickly, 

storage stoves keep you cosy, comfortable and 

warm for hours on end. 

A WARM HEART OF STONE 

The latest innovative stoves store heat in their stone construction to release 

it back to the environment, slowly, and in just the right amount. These modern 

storage stoves combine the snug radiant heat of a tiled stove with the 

visual fascination of an open fire or a chimney stove. 

Text: Patricia Heyne & Dominique Wegmann 

Without warmth, there would be no life on 

Earth. Neither man nor animals nor plants 

could hope to survive without the sun or 

the heat stored at the centre of the Earth. 

No wonder, then, that early man soon 

turned his attention to finding alternative 

ways of staying warm. The discovery of fire 

marked a big step forward for our predecessors, 

and wood remained the most 

important provider of energy for centuries. 

It is only in the past fifty years or so that we 

have moved away from this natural source 

of heat – and, unfortunately, from the satisfying 

radiant heat of fire. 

Warmth that really gets under 

your skin 

No one likes it too hot – let alone too 

cold – for any length of time. A comfortably 

warm environment is infinitely preferable, 

especially in our favourite place: at home. 

During the cold winter months, when op - 

portunities to get out and soak up the 

sun’s rays are rare, a warm, cosy environment 

under our own roof is so important 

for both our physical and mental wellbeing. 

Winter is a time when many people 

would love to be able to sit round a fire 

with others and enjoy the sense of peace 

that accompanies this fascinating natural 

source of energy. Wood-burning stoves 

are making a comeback for all these reasons, 

often becoming the focal point of 

family life in the winter. But traditional 

wood stoves have one major failing: they 

cannot provide both the radiant heat we 

love and the pleasant view of an open fire. 

Heat must radiate outward, 

not flow in one sense 

In our latitudes, we tend to heat for 

between seven and eight months a year. 

And it takes more than a conventional fireplace 

to provide a source of genuine radiant 

heat during that period. Whilst an open 

fire or a chimney stove will temporarily 

warm up the air in your room (convection 

heating), neither will ever be able to 

generate a pleasant, constant level of 

warmth for any length of time. You should 

also bear in mind that as the air heats up 

and rises, it will also stir up particles of 

dust, dust mites, bacteria and viruses – 

which you then inhale. Not so with the gentle 

radiant heat from a modern storage 

stove, which will radiate a constant, balanced 

supply of heat rays throughout the 

entire room, keeping the temperature comfortable 

and cosy for hours at a time. And 

less dust is disturbed in the process 

because there is no movement of air – an 

important consideration for children and 

those with allergies. 

Not just for romantics – the pleasure 

of seeing a fire in your own lounge 

Tiled stoves provide radiant heat to 

keep you snug, but, unlike a modern storage 

stove, do not allow you the pleasure of 

seeing the fire inside. They also take up a 

lot of room and are generally very expensive 

to buy and install. A modern storage 

stove is the perfect answer: space-saving 

designs mean you can now enjoy the same 

radiant heat that a tiled stove provides, 

whatever the size of your room. Equally 

important, innovative technology makes 

storage stoves both easy to operate and 

perfectly safe. With a modern storage 

stove, you get everything – flames to gaze 

at plus the cosy comfort of radiated heat. 

The storage stove – a simple 

principle with a promising future 

The operating principle behind a storage 

stove is easy to understand: less 

wood, more healthy heat. Modern building 

design and construction techniques have 

put an end to ostentatious – and highly 

wasteful – kilowatt ratings. An efficient 

wood-burning system in the form of a 

modern storage stove offers a genuine 

alternative in many respects, including 

running expenses. Take the T-LOFT PLUS, 

for example, which you can easily have 

connected to your central heating system. 

Depending on your requi rements and your 

thermal insulation, it will then provide heat 

for your entire house, fuelled by minimal 

quantities of wood. This type of innovative, 

eco-friendly wood burning is a great 

way of helping to improve our environment 

– both outside and inside. 

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GAAN AND TONWERK – 

INVENTIVE SPIRIT PARTNERS OUTSTANDING 

CRAFTSMANSHIP 

When award-winning designers, a specialist in wood-firing systems and a 

production company with expertise in fireproof materials get together the result 

is a unique blend of know-how – and an exceptional product. 

Text: Patricia Heyne 

It all started with a vision: to create a stove 

that would combine all the advantages of 

both an open fireplace and a tiled stove. A 

compact stove with contemporary appeal, 

designed to radiate a steady source of 

healthy heat whilst allowing you the pleasure 

of watching the flames crackle and 

flicker inside. Even more ambitious, this 

stove was to outperform other models in 

terms of its efficiency and environmental 

credentials, setting new standards in both 

design and functionality. This was a vision 

that deserved to become a reality, but there 

were many hurdles to be overcome first. 

Most important of all, perhaps: a handful 

of visionary people with just the right 

know-how had to cross paths and take on 

the challenge of creating a totally unique 

product – the Tonwerk Storage Stove. 

The team comes together 

Product designer André Riemens had 

already devoted time and attention to 

wood-fuelled stoves for the home as part 

of his university thesis. In 1986 he and 

Gabriela Vetsch, an interior architect, set 

up a design consultancy called GAAN. They 

were joined by another partner at about the 

same time: Dr Basso Salerno, an engineer 

and specialist in wood-firing systems with 

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the know-how needed to ensure that the 

new stove would be technically innovative 

as well as aesthetically appealing. Together 

with GAAN he developed a burner system 

with integral afterburner zone for efficient, 

eco-friendly combustion. The only thing 

missing now was the right blend of stone 

for casting in a variety of moulds so as to 

retain the heat generated by the stove in 

the outer stone cladding as well as at the 

core of the system. Only one company in 

Switzerland had enough experience of fireproof 

materials and sufficient expertise in 

the heat storage characteristics of stone to 

be able to contribute to the development 

of the new stove – Tonwerk Lausen AG. 

Stone and design – 

a winning combination 

It soon became evident that stone was 

the perfect material for this stove. Metal 

conducts thermal energy too quickly, leading 

to overheating. Stone, on the other 

hand, stores heat deep within itself and 

releases it slowly, at just the right rate. 

With the technology sorted, attention 

turned to the scope for design: “We were 

very keen that the stove design should be 

just as good as the functional aspects. We 

wanted a stove that would be as linear, 

elegant and timeless as a piece of contemporary 

furniture”, recalls André Riemens. 

The designers were looking for a blend of 

stone that would allow them to cast large 

surfaces in a wide variety of shapes. 

Working in close consultation with GAAN, 

Tonwerk Lausen came up with just the right 

material: a unique blend of heat-resistant 

stone that can be cast in virtually any 

shape or size and is capable of storing heat 

over long periods of time. An innovative, 

mortar-free dry jointing technique was 

used to stack the stone elements together 

– and the TOPOLINO, the very first Tonwerk 

Storage Stove, was created. 

GAAN: Gabriela Vetsch and André Riemens 

A winning team: André Riemens (GAAN), Peter Brogli (Tonwerk), Dr Basso Salerno and Gabriela Vetsch (GAAN) Photo: Natacha Salamin 

“Form follows function” – 

and sometimes the other way round 

The TOPOLINO was such a success that 

it was not long before the GAAN-Salerno- 

Tonwerk dream team felt ready for a second 

project: the T-ONE storage stove. In 

addition to incorporating a number of im - 

portant technical innovations, the team 

concentrated on enhancing the design to 

achieve a substantial functional advantage: 

the T-ONE was to be slimmer and 

smaller in terms of floor space than other 

conventional wood-fired stoves. This was 

to prove a difficult task given that wood 

logs can be anything up to 35 cm long. 

With Dr Salerno’s help, the team came 

up with the simple but brilliant idea of 

designing a vertical combustion chamber to 

accom modate logs placed upright, rather 

than horizontally. The moment the stove 

was lit, it was obvious that in this con - 

figuration, the logs burned much more 

slowly from top to bottom, which sub - 

stantially improved the stove’s efficiency. 

André Riemens sums up as follows: “The 

great advantage of the team developing 

the stoves from start to finish is that we can 

draw on each other’s expertise to get the 

best results in every respect.” 

Design by GAAN – more than meets 

the eye 

The exceptionally high standard of 

design imposed by GAAN led to other functional 

advantages. Perhaps the best example 

is the frameless glass door used for 

the T-ONE models. “We noticed that with 

other stoves, the glass doors were always 

attached to the stove with a metal frame. 

We wanted to create a single glass door 

that would cover the primary combustion 

chamber, the afterburner zone and the ash 

compartment all at once – without a metal 

frame!” explains Gabriela Vetsch. The user 

gains in terms of aesthetic enjoyment, with 

the fire in the stove being visible right up to 

the afterburner chamber, and, equally im - 

portant, the door is easy to clean as there 

are no corners and edges in which dirt can 

collect. This type of innovation was carried 

through into all the subsequent stoves. The 

T-LOFT, for example, features a door opener 

with integral ventilation-adjusting device 

whilst the T-LOFT PLUS is even designed for 

easy connection to the central heating system 

if required. And the futuristic-looking 

T-EYE is so cleverly designed that this stove 

will fit into even the smallest home or 

under a sloping roof. One thing is sure, the 

GAAN-Salerno-Tonwerk team has plenty 

more ideas – the next surprise is already in 

the pipeline! 

Awards won by Tonwerk 

Storage Stoves: 

– Swiss Design Prize 

– MUT Environmental Prize, awarded 

for eco-friendly developments 

– red dot award, for high-quality design, 

Design Centre of North-Rhine Westphalia, 

Germany 

– VHe Swiss Quality seal for type-tested 

heat storage stoves 

– Swiss National Prize for Product Design 

– Design Plus, ISH Frankfurt, Germany 

9


THE TONWERK STORAGE STOVE – 

A TRULY WINNING PRINCIPLE 

With the true strengths of a Tonwerk Storage Stove scarcely perceptible from the outside, 

there is every reason to take a closer look inside. Behind the modern design you will 

find state-of-the-art technology configured with all of today’s heating needs in mind – not to 

mention those of the future. 

Text: Patricia Heyne & Dominique Wegmann 

Anyone who has ever sat around a campfire 

for any length of time will remember 

how snug and warm you feel even after 

the flames actually go out. This is because 

heat is stored in both the glowing embers 

and the stones on which the fire is built, 

heat which is then released via slow, 

steady radiation. In the comfort of our own 

homes, more and more people now appreciate 

the benefits of a roaring log fire. But 

there is one big drawback: traditional open 

fireplaces and stoves tend to overheat the 

room very quickly, leaving it cold equally 

rapidly as soon as the fire burns out. The 

pleasant temperature of a glowing campfire 

is impossible to maintain for long 

periods unless your stove is able to store 

heat deep within and gradually release it 

back into the room over several hours. 

Storage in a stone core 

At the heart of every Tonwerk Storage 

Stove there is an integral storage core 

made from highly heat-conductive, fireproof 

stone. When the wood burns, over 

60% of the energy produced is captured 

by the core, stored up and then slowly 

released back into the environment. This 

reduces direct heat emission to a comfor t - 

able level, and the room does not overheat 

too quickly. Gradually and in a controlled 

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manner, the heat stored in the core is 

released via the stone cladding in the form 

of healthy radiant heat, thereby keeping 

the ambient temperature cosy and snug 

over many hours. And the low stove surface 

temperature ensures that dust-bearing circulating 

air is reduced to a minimum, so 

allergy sufferers can breathe easy. 

Cast cladding 

The generous surfaces of the stove’s 

stone cladding act as a diffuser whilst also 

storing part of the thermal energy. This 

means the heat that is continually released 

by the core is more effectively distributed 

throughout the room and the temperature 

remains at a comfortable level. And be - 

cause the cladding is cast from stone, it can 

be moulded into just about any conceivable 

shape, so there are no holds barred in 

terms of the design of Tonwerk Storage 

Stoves! Claddings also come in a choice of 

colours and finishes for combination with 

the various stoves, making it easy to tailor 

Tonwerk Storage Stoves to personal preferences. 

1 Combustion air supply 

2 Combustion chamber 

3 Pane rinse 

4 Storage 

5 Smoke outlet 

6 Cladding 

7 Afterburner zone 

Combustion chamber and 

afterburner – nothing is wasted 

Whatever shape or colour you opt for, 

all the various Tonwerk Storage Stoves 

have one thing in common: maximum efficiency. 

That aside, there are a few differences 

worthy of special mention. The 

T-ONE and the T-EYE, for example, feature a 

vertically oriented combustion chamber in 

which logs can be stood upright to allow 

slow burning from top to bottom. This 

increases energy efficiency whilst also 

reducing pollutant emissions. All Tonwerk 

Storage Stoves feature an integral afterburner 

zone to make the most of every 

additional source of energy: the afterburner 

is designed to burn a large proportion 

of the combustible gases which would 

normally escape as smoke in any other 

wood-fired stove. Efficiency can be im - 

proved even further with a connection 

point for a supply of outside air. Taken as a 

whole, these factors increase combustion 

efficiency whilst also reducing wood consumption 

– and these are the two major 

advantages of any Tonwerk Storage Stove. 

Enough energy for a whole house 

Thanks to low wood consumption and 

optimum heat release, Tonwerk Storage 

Stoves provide considerable added value. 

No wonder, then, that this mode of heating 

is now also widely used in modern residential 

developments. The storage core prin - 

ciple makes Tonwerk Storage Stoves perfect 

for low-energy housing – either as the main 

source of heating or as an additional boost 

when needed. Take the T-LOFT PLUS, for 

example: with the help of its exchanger, 

this stove is designed to pass on up to 

50% of the energy stored in its core to any 

central heating system connected to it. 

From there the heat is distributed throughout 

the entire house – an efficient, costeffective 

and 100% eco-friendly method. 

Ongoing development 

Tonwerk Lausen AG and its partners, 

the GAAN design team and Dr Basso 

Salerno, a wood-firing specialist, have 

already explored many new roads in the 

development of Tonwerk Storage Stoves. 

Energy flow: storage stove Energy flow: conventional chimney stove 

4 

Losses through smoke 

5 

Burn-down/Cooling 

Directly released energy 

3 

Losses through cooling 

Heat output 

1 

Stored energy 

Heat output/Volume of energy 1 = Total efficiency 2 + 3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Technical innovations such as the T-ONE’s 

rearwardly oriented combustion chamber 

or the particularly efficient spherical shape 

of the T-EYE demonstrate that progress 

continues with each stove, in line with 

Tonwerk’s ambitious goal of always trying 

to improve on what is already a good solution. 

It is this combination of exceptional 

design and cutting-edge technology that 

has won the company many awards and 

prizes from interna tional panels. But there 

Heat output* 

2 

Overheating zone 

Comfort zone 

4 

Losses through smoke 

5 

Losses through cooling 

Directly released energy 

3 

*per lo 

Heat output 

1 

Stored energy 

T-ONE SWING/ T-LOFT/ TOPOLINO T-EYE Conventional 

T-ONE STONE T-LOFT PLUS chimney stove 

80% 83% 83% 80% 70% 

60% 68% 70% 65% 5% 

20% 15% 13% 15% 65% 

15% 14% 14% 15% 20% 

5% 3% 3% 5% 10% 

are some things about a Tonwerk Storage 

Stove that never change: high energy 

efficiency, minimum wood consumption, 

eco-friendly combustion, low levels of 

emissions and a long-lasting supply of 

cosy heat. 

*per load of firewood 

. 

* 

* 

* 

* 

2 

11


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3 4 

T-ONE SWING – ELEGANCE NEEDS LITTLE SPACE 

Enjoy big views of crackling flames with the compact T-ONE SWING. 

With its slim curving side walls in cast stone, the 

T-ONE SWING is a compact stove that will grace 

any room and looks great in even the smallest 

corner. 

Like the T-ONE STONE, the T-ONE SWING features 

a frameless door made entirely from glass. 

Covering both the combustion and afterburner 

chambers, it allows unrestricted views of the 

flames inside, and there certainly is something 

to see! With the T-ONE, you load your logs into 

the vertical combustion chamber in an upright 

position, which helps them to burn slowly from 

top to bottom. Besides reducing emissions and 

boosting efficiency, you’ll also love watching the 

fabulous flames this creates. 

The large glass front also means the T-ONE 

SWING requires only a very short heating-up 

phase: just 20-30 minutes after lighting the 

stove you’ll feel the first pleasant rays of 

warmth. And just one load of wood will give you 

over six hours of healthy radiant heat – perfect 

for a cosy evening at home. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

The rounded side walls in cast stone look 

beautiful and save space. 

Positioned vertically, the wood burns slowly 

from top to bottom, creating beautiful flames 

for you to enjoy. 

The childproof door handle on both the T-ONE 

SWING and the T-ONE STONE is positioned 

at a safe height at the top of the stove. 

The patented frameless glass door not only 

looks great, it’s also very easy to clean. 

“Our children adore the T-ONE SWING. 

They spend hours gazing at the 

flames and often fall asleep in front 

of the stove.” 

Catherine Dupont, Brest 

TECHNICAL DATA 

• Wood consumption for a burning 

time of 60 -90 minutes 3.5 kg 

• Heating time > 6h 

• Fuel efficiency 85 % 

• Total efficiency 80 % 

• Heat storage capacity 60 % 

• Weight 200-225 kg 

• Flue connection on top 

• External air connection (accessory) from below 

• Flue draught min. 10 Pa 

• Air volume per burning session at 20 °C 

room temperature approx. 30 m 3 

• VKF No. N10980 

• VHe No. 0104/1 

• DIN No. 18 891/15a B-VG 

• EN No. 13240 

• Nominal thermal output (DIN) and heating capacity are purely test values. 

Typical heat output is as shown on the output capacity graph. Nominal thermal 

output (DIN) 6 kW; heating capacity 3-6 kW 

• Room heating capacity at 0 °C outside temperature, depending on construction 

materials (with continuous firing): 

conventional 140 m 3 , minimum energy/low-energy construction 210 m 3 

Watts 

3000 

2500 

2000 

1500 

1000 

500 

0 

1395 

Output capacity 

BLACK 

rough textured or 

ground and polished 

BEIGE 


150 

410 

Door 

Casing 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Hours 

165 

425 

LIGHT GREY 



WHITE 


Actual colours and/or structures may differ from those shown. 

Modèle déposé 

pat. pend. 

ROSE 



GREEN-BLUE GLASS 

ground and polished


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3 4 

T-ONE STONE – STYLISH ALL ALONG THE LINE 

You’ll be impressed by the T-ONE STONE’s straight lines and timeless looks. 

Whether you opt for polished cladding in granite 

or soapstone, or a textured concrete look – the 

T-ONE STONE’s modern cubist design and its 

plain, uninterrupted glass front un failingly communicate 

understated elegance. 

Featuring a vertical combustion chamber for 

optimum top-to-bottom burning plus a frameless 

glass door for generous views of crackling 

flames as far as the afterburner zone, the T-ONE 

STONE is very similar to the T-ONE SWING in 

terms of function and performance. 

What makes it really special, however, is the 

T-BAKE, an ingenious baking unit designed to 

transform your stove into a gourmet oven. One 

load of logs will then keep you snug and warm 

for over six hours whilst also allowing you to 

bake bread, pizza or cake at the same time – filling 

your lounge with healthy, radiant heat and 

the delicious smell of fresh, home-cooked food. 

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2 

3 

4 

Textured-concrete-look side cladding 

for a timelessly modern appeal. 

The T-ONE STONE baking unit will transform 

your lounge into a cosy bakehouse. 

The uninterrupted glass door allows you 

to see right into the afterburner zone. 

The easy-to-operate ventilator regulator 

ensures optimum combustion. 

“The T-ONE STONE is much more 

than a stove: it’s a piece of traditional 

home culture in a modern design.” 

Steve Berry, London 

1395 



time of 60 -90 minutes 3.5 kg 







• External air connection (accessory) from below 




• VKF No. N10980 

• VHe No. 0104/1 

• DIN No. 18 891/15a B-VG 

• EN No. 13240 







Watts 

3000 

2500 

2000 

1500 

1000 

500 

0 


150 

TEXTURED – 

CONCRETE LOOK 


smooth (on request) 

405 

135 

395 

SOAPSTONE 

ground 

Door 

Casing 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Hours 

BLACK 



1640 

150 

LIGHT GREY 




1770 

T-BAKE 

option fitted 


pat. pend. 

Other colours or 

granite on request 

ROSE 


ground and polished


1 2 

3 4 

T-LOFT – THE SMART ALL-ROUNDER 

The T-LOFT will impress you with its stylish elegance and useful options. 

Combining the clean lines and elegant design of 

the T-ONE with the heating performance and 

storage capacity of the TOPOLINO, the T-LOFT is 

multitalented. It will start to dissipate cosy radiant 

heat just 45 minutes after being lit – and will 

continue so for over 10 hours. It is also every bit 

as sophisticated as its predecessors in terms 

of operating comfort, like the TOPOLINO, the 

T-LOFT combines air valve and door handle in 

just one simple lever. An easy-care frameless 

glass door and big views of the fire inside the 

stove are just some of the features of the T-LOFT. 

The T-LOFT is extremely flexible in its location. 

The flue can be connected at the back or on 

top, and the external supply of combustion air 

can be fed directly from below or from the back. 

Tonwerk wood-burning heat storage stoves integrate 

with the architecture of your home. 

If you are looking for unrivalled comfort or 

planning to heat several rooms at the same time, 

the T-LOFT PLUS is an excellent addition to your 

existing central heating system. With the aid of a 

heat exchanger (hot water absorber), the T-LOFT 

PLUS can distribute up to 50% of the energy generated 

by the stove throughout the whole house. 

And if your home is built to low-energy specifi - 

cations you can even use your T-LOFT PLUS as 

a heating system in its own right (read more 

about the T-LOFT PLUS and low-energy housing 

on p. 22). 

1 

The frameless glass door sits perfectly flush 

with the stone front. 

2 The flue can be connected at the back or on top. 

3 The door handle doubles as the air valve. 

4 The generous stone surfaces at the front and 

to the sides can store large volumes of heat. 

“I’ve been looking for an alternative ecofriendly 

heating system for ages. 

The T-LOFT PLUS is just what I wanted.” 

Simon Bader, Winterthur 



time of 60 -90 minutes 4.5-6 kg 

• Heating time > 10 h 





• Flue connection on top/at back 

• External air connection from below/at back 




• VKF No. Z11753 

• VHe No. 0104/2 

• DIN No. 18 891/15a B-VG 

• EN No. 13240 







Watts 

3000 

2500 

2000 

1500 

1000 

500 

0 

1200 


150 

120 

90 

130 

120 

130 

BLACK 



SOAPSTONE 

ground 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Hours 

1375 

525 

150 

520 

150 

LIGHT GREY 



Other colours or 

granite on request 



pat. pend. 

ROSE 


ground and polished


1 2 

3 

4 

3 

TOPOLINO – HARD TO TOP THIS POWER PACK 

The TOPOLINO’s large stone surface makes it a real storage star. 

With its flowing curves, chic stone cladding and 

strikingly natural looks, this classic amongst the 

Tonwerk Storage Stoves is still as hugely popular 

as ever. And the TOPOLINO’s plain but stunningly 

elegant front guarantees uninterrupted 

views of dancing flames. 

As you would expect, sophisticated styling 

goes hand in hand with some equally clever 

operating features: the door handle doubles up 

as the air valve, for example, and the frameless 

glass door is both smart and ex tre mely easy to 

care for. 

The TOPOLINO owes its superb storage ca - 

pacity to its generous stone cladding. Although 

it takes about an hour to heat up to maximum 

capacity, just one load of logs will then provide 

you with over twelve hours of cosy, healthy radiant 

heat. With these unrivalled heat storage 

credentials the TOPOLINO is a modern, stonecast 

variant of the tiled stove, with the added 

pleasure of having the romance of crackling 

flames in your living room. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

The large stone surface has an impressive 

heat storage volume. 

The generous combustion chamber holds a 

large quantity of wood to ensure a long burn. 

The cast stone elements are joined together 

without mortar using a special dry jointing 

technique. 

The TOPOLINO is now also available in a new 

high version – for even longer heat dissipation 

with an optional smoke outlet at the back. 

“The TOPOLINO has turned our modern 

new house into a warm, cosy home.” 

Kerstin Maibach, Karlsruhe 

1400 



time of 60 -90 minutes 4.5-6 kg 

• Heating time > 12 h 






• External air connection from below 

• Flue draught 


min. 10 Pa 

room temperature approx. 45 m 

Watts Output capacity 

3 

• VKF No. Z11753 

• VHe No. 0104/2 

• DIN No. 18 891/15a B-VG 

• EN No. 13240 






conventional 200 m3 , minimum energy/low-energy construction 300 m3 3000 

2500 

2000 

1500 

1000 

500 

0 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Hours 

175 

120 

175 

150 

LIGHT GREY 

rough textured, front 

stone also available in 

polished finish 

425 

515 

540 

580 

1610 

1490 

BLACK 




TOPOLINO 

TOPOLINO high version 


pat. pend. 

WHITE 

polished, 

front stone only 

ROSE 




Other colours on request. Actual colours and/or structures may differ from those shown.


1 2 

3 4 

T-EYE – LOVE AT FIRST LIGHT 

A futuristic eye-catcher for fans of rounded forms. 

It’s clear at first glance: the T-EYE heat storage 

stove is a bold departure from its straight-lined 

companions in the Tonwerk range. But the 

T-EYE’s unusual rounded contours are more than 

elegant design: they also make it so compact 

that it can fit into locations with a sloping ceiling. 

Needless to say, Tonwerk’s latest heat stor - 

age stove boasts a range of technical innova - 

tions. Like its automatic airflow management 

system, which incorporates the air inlet into the 

base. Or its wood-loading door, which is located 

higher up: not only does this make the T-EYE 

much cleaner, since no ash can fall to the floor; 

it makes it safer for children, too. 

The T-EYE’s heating credentials are equally 

impressive: a single load of fire wood can provide 

over six hours of cosy and comfortable 

warmth. 

The T-EYE is more than a stove. For many of 

its owners, it’s part of the family. And, to make 

sure it never feels left out, it can be rotated to 

face all the action. The handlebars are also home 

to the loading door toggle – another example of 

the T-EYE’s superb combination of function and 

design. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

The toggle to open the loading door is held in 

one of the handlebars. 

Just use the toggle to open the door… 

… and it will open upwards. 

The wood can then be loaded from above. 

“The T-EYE just grabbed me as soon 

as I saw it. Great looks, smart functions – 

nothing else comes even remotely close.” 

Michael Gerber, Zurich 



time of 60 -90 minutes 3 kg 





• Weight approx. 200 kg 


• External air connection integrated 




• VKF No. Z16042 

• VHe No. 0104/3 

• DIN No. 18 891/15a B-VG 

• EN No. 13240 







945 

Watts 

3000 

2500 

2000 

1500 

1000 

500 

0 


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Hours 

600 

BLACK 



WHITE 


150 

530 

695 

300 

420 

LIGHT GREY 



modèle déposé 

pat. pend. 

ROSE 



Further colours are available on request. Actual colours and/or structures may differ from those shown. 

575


T-LOFT PLUS – YOUR COSY LOUNGE CENTRAL HEATING 

If your house was built or renovated to low-energy specifications, the T-LOFT PLUS heat storage 

stove is all you need to keep it warm and cosy (subject to your technical installation and 

requirements). In other buildings, the T-LOFT PLUS is an excellent addition to the existing central 

heating – particularly during the shoulder season. 


Homes built or renovated to low-energy 

specifications provide excellent heat insulation 

and a hermetically optimised shell to 

offer a comfortable, energy-saving lifestyle. 

Heating and hot water are often obtained 

from renewable energy sources. Many of 

these homes also boast comfort ventilation 

with heat recovery: fresh air from outside 

the house is drawn into the bedrooms 

and living areas, and stale air is evacuated 

via the kitchen, bathroom and WC. These 

technical innovations deliver a huge reduction 

in energy consumption. Financially, the 

investment is well worthwhile: build to 

low-energy specifications and you save on 

annual operating costs and protect yourself 

from continually rising prices for fossil 

fuels in the form of gas and oil. 

T-LOFT PLUS – 

the clever heating alternative 

The Tonwerk storage stove T-LOFT 

PLUS is perfectly adapted to the energy- 

22 

saving concept of low-energy building 

techniques: sandwiched between the stove 

storage block and the outer casing there is 

an absorber jacket inside which circulating 

water can absorb up to 50% of the heat 

from the stove for use via the central heating 

system. This reduces the direct release 

of heat into the ambient air, which makes 

sense in rooms requiring little heating. The 

absorber jacket is sufficient to heat ancillary 

rooms without the need for chimney 

outlets or additional heating systems, and 

installation costs are very modest. Thermostat 

valves ensure optimum heat distribution. 

The pump and safety technology 

required for the stove water circuit requires 

very little space and ensures a correct flow 

rate at all times. Water for use is heated by 

a boiler or other system. The heat 

exchanger is located immediately under 

the outer casing, not in the flue, which 

lessens wear and tear on the materials and 

keeps maintenance costs at a minimum. 

A pleasantly heated bathroom with the T-LOFT PLUS 

An additional source of heating 

in conventional builds 

If you have not built or renovated to 

low-energy specifications, a T-LOFT PLUS 

heat storage stove provides an excellent 

addition to your existing central heat ing. 

This is confirmed by Christian Völlmin, 

a qualified engineer and project leader 

of a study on small wood-fired stoves: 

“We have lots of inquiries for exactly the 

characteristics of this stove. Lots of customers 

want a stove as a supplementary 

source of heat. Today’s chimney and woodburning 

stoves are often outsized in terms 

of their performance, resulting in overheating. 

That can’t happen with the T-LOFT 

PLUS, because it can be connected to the 

central heating system at little extra cost, 

thereby ensuring that excess heat is distributed 

around the house to optimum 

effect.” With conventional builds, which 

require more heat, the T-LOFT PLUS is 

perfect for heating closed ancillary rooms 

(e.g. bathroom, bedrooms, office or workshop), 

providing a cost-effective alternative 

in the shoulder season or a useful 

addition to conventional heating systems 

in the winter months. 

Comfort and heating requirements – 

an individual decision 

Individuals vary greatly in their perception 

of comfortable heating levels. That is 

why it is so important to start by determining 

the building heating requirement before 

deciding on what type of heating to opt for. 

Wood-burning systems are fun, but do 

involve some work: the wood has to be 

transported, cut and properly stored. The 

T-LOFT PLUS is an economic stove: used as 

the sole source of heat in a low-energy 

house, it will burn, on average, one to two 

loads of wood a day, which is equivalent to 

between 1,200 and 2,400 kg (2,5 to 5 steres) 

of wood a year. Your effort will be rewarded 

with a crackling fire and a cosy living area. 

And remember: the T-LOFT PLUS diffuses 

pleasant, healthy radiant heat for some ten 

hours – long after the fire has burned right 

down. 

Low-energy houses – popular right 

across Europe 

The “low-energy house” certificate is 

only awarded to buildings which meet 

or outperform local energy consumption 

specifications. These specifications differ 

from country to country. In Germany, for 

example, all new constructions must comply 

with low-energy specifications. And in 

Switzerland, several million square metres 

of low-energy living space have been 

created since 1998. Low-energy projects 

qualify for government subsidies almost 

right across Europe, and many banks offer 

special mortgage terms. 

23


WOOD-FIRED HEATING: ALL WELL AND GOOD – 

BUT WHAT ABOUT FINE-PARTICLE POLLUTION? 

In January 2006, Switzerland experienced problems adhering to threshold limit values on pollution 

by particulate matter. This gave rise to a heated debate about fine-particle pollution, causing 

concern to owners of wood-fired storage stoves. For whilst burning wood provides a pleasant glow 

and cosy warmth, it also generates combustion residues such as fine particles. So just what is 

fine particulate matter? How is it produced – and how much do wood-fired stoves really contribute 

to fine-particle emissions? 


The term “fine particulate matter” is generally 

used when referring to particles of less 

than ten thousandths of a millimetre, 

regardless of the particle make-up. Hence 

the abbreviated name “PM10”. Over 20,000 

tonnes of fine particulate matter are generated 

in Switzerland every year. Over half 

that volume is produced not by combustion, 

but as a result of industrial processes, 

mechanical wear and tear on tyres and 

brakes, and from dust that is stirred up by 

traffic and agricultural activities. Fine parti - 

culate matter is also generated by entirely 

natural sources such as the wind, which 

blows sand in from the Sahara. The remainder 

results from the incomplete combustion 

of wood, fuels (diesel, petrol) and 

industrial waste. Burning fuel wood in 

stoves accounts for only about 8% of 

global fine particulate emissions – and of 

that, only about 3–4% can be attributed to 

small wood-fired heating systems. 

The good news: most fine particulate 

matter can be filtered or 

prevented 

In the future, we should be able to deal 

effectively with many of the main sources 

of fine particulate matter. Regulatory re - 

quirements are already being drafted in 

Switzerland and the EU. Diesel engine soot, 

for example, which produces 17% of fine 

particles and is a particular health risk, can 

be 99% captured by the latest generation 

of filters. Such filters should become a 

mandatory requirement across Europe 

within the next few years. The open combustion 

of forest residues is already largely 

prohibited in Switzerland. Efficient smoke 

gas filters also exist for large wood-fired 

24 

combustion plants – and new, tighter 

threshold limit values will ensure more 

widespread use of such filters. But national 

measures alone are not enough. The wind 

doesn’t respect any national borders, and 

winning the battle against fine particulate 

matter will require concerted international 

action. 

Small wood-fired stove operators 

can help reduce fine particulate 

matter 

The filters currently available for largescale 

wood-fired combustion plants are 

still too complex, unsightly and expensive 

for the small wood-burning stoves used by 

private households. However, there are a 

few things you can do to help. Note, above 

all, that burning refuse in private woodfired 

stoves causes a huge amount of pollutant 

emissions. Burning one kilo of household 

waste without proper filters produces 

the same volume of pollutants and fine particulate 

matter as burning a tonne of the 

same waste at an incineration plant! This is 

why private incineration is prohibited. It is 

also import ant to use wood that is dry and 

has been properly stored, and not wood 

that has been treated in any way. It should 

not, therefore, contain varnish, resin, solvent 

or adhesives. 

Minimise fine particles with the 

right stove 

Choosing the right stove is critical, of 

course. A stove that is well designed and 

well built will obviously outperform a 

poorly designed stove in terms of making 

good use of the available thermal energy. 

Heating capacity being equal, good fuel 

technology and high efficiency will result in 

better combustion with less fine particulate 

matter. Storage stoves from Tonwerk 

Lausen AG rank amongst the best of their 

kind worldwide in this respect, and carry 

the “Holzenergie Schweiz” (Wood Energy 

Switzerland) quality label to prove it. These 

stoves are designed with tomorrow’s re - 

quirements in mind. 

Heating with wood – still the 

cleanest solution, in spite of fine 

particles 

We still make far too little use of wood, 

an important source of renewable energy. 

As we write, over half the total volume of 

this precious energy carrier is rotting away 

in Swiss forests. And Swiss timber has 

another energy-saving advantage over coal 

and oil in that it only has to be transported 

across short distances. In contrast to fossil 

fuels, careful combustion of wood does not 

produce additional carbon dioxide (CO 2), 

which is held to be one of the most harmful 

greenhouse gases. Neither do international 

political or economic developments impact 

on the price of timber as they do on crude 

oil, for example. So if you use the right 

wood in a modern stove such as a Tonwerk 

Storage Stove, you can heat your home 

without worry, and with a clear conscience. 

With fine-dust emissions reduced to a minimum, 

heating with wood therefore offers a 

healthy, eco-friendly alternative.


TONWERK LAUSEN – 

BUILT ON CLAY AND FIRE 

Tonwerk Lausen AG has been in business for over 130 years. During that time the 

company’s progress has been marked by entrepreneurial vision, innovative ideas, original 

solutions and the courage to see changes through whenever necessary. Clay and fire 

have always provided the starting point for every process in this tradition-steeped business. 

Text: Tobias Landau, Interview: Patricia Heyne 

Tonwerk Lausen traces its origins back to 

the production of ceramic goods: the company 

was already making bricks and fireproof 

stones from a clay-based brick earth 

well over 130 years ago. The earth was 

excavated locally and worked predomin - 

antly by hand. In time, Tonwerk also 

branched out into the manufacture of 

glaz ed, fireproof tableware. The working 

conditions back then were far from easy: 

the fine ceramic dust and the heat off the 

kilns made life very difficult for the em ployees. 

Probably one of the reasons why 

Tonwerk Lausen was one of the best customers 

of the nearby Ziegelhof brewery. 

The European market transformed 

The 60s and 70s saw a huge boom in 

the production of stoneware floor slabs and 

fireproof stones. All was well until the early 

80s, when cheap imports from southern 

Europe flooded the market. Tonwerk re - 

sponded with an immediate restructuring 

programme, but even that was not enough 

to save the floor slab production business. 

A further setback came in the 90s with 

the gradual opening-up of Eastern Europe, 

which prompted many customers to transfer 

their energy- and cost-intensive pro duction 

operations abroad. Once again, Ton - 

werk had to muster all its innovative ideas 

and business flair to stay competitive in this 

fast-paced market. 

26 

A group photo of the hand-moulding team, 1917 

Cutting-edge technology 

and years of know-how 

Having always concentrated on the 

production of fireproof stones and the art 

of making the most efficient use of the 

energy that can be extracted from flames, 

Tonwerk Lausen AG had acquired an 

impressive core of know-how which would 

now be brought to bear on the process of 

reorienting the company’s business operations. 

The existing infrastructure, some of 

which was lying idle, also came in for 

scrutiny in an effort to exploit resources to 

maximum effect. And as luck would have 

it, the Swiss designer team, GAAN, and 

Dr Basso Salerno, a wood fuel specialist, 

happened to be working right then on a 

novel type of stove designed to store heat 

in a stone core for subsequent dissipa tion 

via radiation, the most comfortable me - 

thod of heating. At the time, they were 

looking for a partner with expertise in 

fireproof materials and the necessary re - 

sources in terms of production infrastructure. 

The three parties sat down together in 

the early 90s and in less than a year they 

had come up with an outstanding product: 

the Tonwerk heat storage stove TOPOLINO. 

Swiss quality on target for success 

Following the runaway success of the 

TOPOLINO, the team has developed several 

other Tonwerk Storage Stoves, each incor- 

Staff at work, circa 1925 

The Tonwerk Lausen premises, circa 1920 

porating further design and technology 

innovations. In just five years, Tonwerk 

Storage Stoves have become the company’s 

leading product. Initially marketed 

in Switzerland and neighbouring countries, 

over 50% of these storage stoves are 

now exported to countries as far afield as 

Japan. In German-speaking countries, Ton - 

werk has become the market leader in the 

premium storage stove segment. Despite 

such success with storage stoves, manufacturing 

fireproof products for industrial 

customers and trading in high-temper a - 

ture insulating materials will also remain 

Tonwerk Lausen specialities, even after 

over a hundred years in the business. 

Tonwerk today: an interview with 

Peter Brogli, Managing Director 

of Tonwerk Lausen AG 

Mr Brogli, what was the greatest 

challenge facing the company when 

you took over as head of Tonwerk 

Lausen AG in 2000? 

In my view, the greatest challenge was 

transforming the company from being 

purely a supplier to trade and industry to 

becoming a manufacturer and vendor of 

premium designer products. Achieving 

that change was our way of responding to 

the market situation, and was something 

we had been planning for since a turnaround 

operation launched in 1996. 

What do you think is the secret of the 

success of Tonwerk Storage Stoves? 

Tonwerk stoves are absolutely unique 

because there is no equivalent product on 

the market today. Which is not surprising, 

because Tonwerk Lausen is the only 

manufacturer of heat storage stoves with 

the necessary expertise in fireproof cer amics. 

It is our know-how and drive for 

innovation combined with GAAN’s vision - 

ary thinking and Dr Basso Salerno’s technical 

combustion expertise that make the 

development of such special products 

possible in the first place. 

How do you manage to reconcile design 

and functionality when developing 

new products? 

Well, I personally believe that good 

design should never take precedence over 

functionality – which is certainly not the 

case with any of the Tonwerk stoves, 

thanks to our close partnership with GAAN 

and Dr Salerno. In fact, the excellent 

design of our stoves has often led to 

added benefits in terms of their perform - 

ance or ease of operation. And we now 

work together as such a good team that 

design, technology and production all 

combine perfectly in any new development. 

Can you really heat a whole house with 

a Tonwerk stove, or is that just a dream? 

Of course you can! All the heating in my 

home is provided by a T-LOFT PLUS, and 

my family likes it snug and warm. Years 

ago, everyone used to heat with wood- or 

coal-fired stoves until central heating 

came along. Wood then went out of 

fashion for a long time, but with modern, 

low-energy construction techniques and 

the resultant reduction in fuel requirements 

it’s making a comeback as a 

genuine alternative – even as the sole 

source of heating. 

Is Tonwerk Lausen working on a new 

stove at the moment? If yes, what kind of 

innovations can we expect to see this 

time? 

We’re always working on new ideas! In 

fact, we’ve just launched an absolutely 

new style of stove: the T-EYE. The T-EYE is 

designed to appeal to lovers of round 

forms and people with little room to 

spare. Height wise in particular, the T-EYE 

is beautifully compact and will even fit 

under a sloping roof. The spherical shape 

also makes great sense from a heating 

point of view because it optimises the 

stove’s heat radiation capacity. And apart 

from all that, the T-EYE is such a cutelooking 

chappie to have in the family! 

Any plans to develop a completely new 

product in addition to storage stoves? 

Well, we’re currently looking at the market 

viability of various studies and preli m - 

inary projects. But whatever comes of 

that, we certainly won’t be resting on our 

laurels: our aim is to set new standards 

with each and every one of our products. 

27


“The T-ONE captures the architectonic 

spirit of the times, linking it with the traditions 

of Japanese room design.” 

Masao Ichikawa, Japanese architect 

FROM LAUSEN TO JAPAN – A SMALL SWISS BRAND 

CONQUERS THE BIG WIDE WORLD 

You certainly have to get a few things right before a product made by a small Swiss 

company attracts any attention abroad. Well, Tonwerk Lausen storage stoves are making 

a mark all over the world. Even as far afield as Japan, a country in which it is very 

difficult for unknown foreign firms to become established. 

Text: Tobias Landau 

The curious amongst us tend to follow 

the latest international developments and 

achieve ments in their chosen field on the 

Web, and this is surely one of the reasons 

why the Tonwerk Storage Stoves – launch ed 

just five years ago – are now familiar to 

consumers even in such far-flung markets 

as Japan. The fact that Switzerland also 

attracts a high degree of international 

attention thanks to its reputation for outstanding 

design and cutting-edge techno l - 

ogy will have played its part, too. And 

last but not least, the traditional “Made 

in Switzerland” label still has a first-class 

image. 

Foreign products have a difficult time 

in Japan 

Whilst it will always be difficult to 

determine exactly how word of the excellent 

qualities of Tonwerk Storage Stoves 

has spread, it remains a fact that these 

heaters have become favourites with architects 

– and not only in the countries close 

to Switzerland, but right across Europe and 

overseas, too. The keen interest sparked by 

the innovative technology and design of 

the Tonwerk Storage Stoves, even in faraway 

Japan, is a matter for some congratulation: 

products from abroad generally 

have a hard time breaking into the market 

in the land of the rising sun – unless marketed 

under a prestigious and internationally 

recognised brand name as are French 

fashion and cosmetics, for example, or 

Swiss watches. 

In harmony with the Japanese 

concept of room design 

Just why are the Tonwerk Storage 

Stoves so successful? Japanese families 

generally live together in what we would 

consider a fairly small space because land 

prices are very high, even in the country. The 

Japanese are also very demanding, both in 

terms of creating a pleasing environment 

and the way the design of an object impacts 

on its potential for integration within the 

space available. Masao Ichikawa, the 

Hagihara family’s architect, explains: “The 

T-ONE was the perfect answer to my client’s 

aesthetic and technical expectations. It 

combines elegant, timeless design with a 

source of moderate, comfortable heat. And 

the way the architectonic spirit of the times 

is linked in with the traditions of Japanese 

room design is quite an achievement.” The 

Hagihara family loves both the unique 

design of the T-ONE and the way it releases 

just the right amount of heat over a sustained 

period of time. The stove looks perfect 

in the family’s bright lounge and provides 

an attractive visual focus. And where 

efficiency is concerned, the first-class credentials 

of Tonwerk Storage Stoves have 

earned them an unrivalled reputation 

amongst top architects. The way things are 

going, it looks as though these elegant 

stoves are destined for continued success, 

even in faraway Japan! 

29


ASK THE EXPERT: 

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 

BUYING A TONWERK STORAGE STOVE 

Anyone thinking about buying a Tonwerk Storage Stove needs to clear up a few 

important points beforehand, preferably by talking to an expert. Mr Arthur Kasper, 

a master stove builder and Head of Swiss Sales at Tonwerk Lausen AG, gave 

us a few top tips. 

Interview: Patricia Heyne 

Mr Kasper, how do I decide which is 

the right Tonwerk stove for me? 

Well, you need to think about several things: 

your budget, how much space you have 

available and what level of heating you 

expect your stove to provide. Are you planning 

to connect your stove to your central 

heating system or do you simply want the 

pleasure of an occasional log fire in your 

lounge? How well is your home insulated? 

These are the kind of questions you need to 

consider before seeking further advice from 

one of our competent Tonwerk dealers. 

What is the minimum level of thermal 

output (kW) I should be looking for? 

Many of our customers mistakenly be lieve 

that a high thermal output is an important 

feature of a good quality stove. Not true. 

In fact, a stove with a high thermal output 

will simply overheat your room and burn a 

lot of wood. Almost all stoves produce too 

much heat: Tonwerk Storage Stoves are 

designed to store that excess heat and 

dissipate it gradually over several hours, 

thus keeping your room pleasantly warm 

whilst also reducing wood consumption. 

30 

You also need to match the thermal output 

of your stove to the level of thermal 

insulation in the room you want to heat: 

the thermal output requirement for a wellinsulated 

room with integral central heating 

will obviously be lower than what you 

would need for a stove installed in the loft 

of an old building. 

What do I need to think about if I want 

to connect a Tonwerk Storage Stove to 

my flue? 

If you already have a flue in place, get it 

checked by a chimney sweep to ensure 

that everything is in working order. You 

will also need to know exactly what else is 

connected to the flue, as special regulations 

apply to multiple-usage installations. 

If your flue is of an older design you 

should also check whether the length, 

cross-section and type of construction are 

suitable for a modern wood-fired stove. If 

need be, you can always consider a conversion 

or a new flue, although you will 

have to notify any such project to the relevant 

authorities. You will also need a certificate 

of approval from your chimney 

sweep. 

What do I need to bear in mind if I want 

to install a stove in a new or renovated 

building? 

Always check the load-bearing capacity of 

the floors in a renovated building. With 

new properties, which are generally built 

to be airtight, you need to bear in mind 

that extractor fans and bathroom venti - 

lators can create negative pressure, and 

this may mean there is not enough air to 

use a wood-fired stove. It’s always a good 

idea to provide an external-air connection 

point so that your stove can operate independently 

of the air in the room where it is 

installed. This is essential if you have airconditioning 

in your new home or conversion. 

And always remember that if your 

air-conditioning system is designed to 

operate with overpressure and requires 

special monitoring, you definitely cannot 

supply combustion air via a doublewalled 

flue. 

How will I recognise a really trustworthy, 

cost-effective product? 

Beware of comparing stove prices and 

discounts only, otherwise you may end up 

paying more in the long run. A good quality 

product should go hand in hand with 

competent advice and professional installation. 

Always ask for a trial heating session, 

detailed instructions and a warranty 

certificate. And finally, buy your stove 

from a dealer who will offer you advice 

and support long after you’ve made your 

purchase. Here at Tonwerk Lausen AG we 

believe a good after-sales service is just 

as important as the product itself. 

TONWERK ACCESSORIES – 

KEEPING EVERYTHING BEAUTIFULLY TIDY 

With a stock of wood at hand, you can light your stove any time, quickly 

and conveniently. These elegant accessories by Tonwerk Lausen AG 

will keep your logs neat and tidy, and also make an eye-catching decorative 

element for your living room. 

The straight lines of these wood storage 

units are a perfect match for the Tonwerk 

Storage Stoves right down to the last 

detail: even the bases are made from the 

same materials as the stone cladding used 

for the heaters. The unit includes a handy 

drawer for everything you need to light 

your stove. 

The practical wood box is an ideal alternative 

if you prefer a more discreet style of 

storage. Separate compartments provide 

space for logs and tools and the unit as a 

whole doubles as a decorative seat topped 

with a cover in a wood veneer or coloured 

felt finish. 

The Tonwerk turntable: 

flickering flames from every angle 

Beside the company’s range of wood 

storage units and boxes there is another 

must-have Tonwerk accessory: the turn - 

table. The new T-EYE comes complete with 

integral turntable function, but all the other 

Tonwerk stoves can also be equipp ed with 

a similar device – so now you can enjoy 

gazing into the flames from wherever you 

are in the room. 

Glass wood storage unit: 

H 142 cm W 32 cm D 37 cm 

Wood box: 

H 48 cm W 40 cm D 40 cm 

Steel wood storage unit: 

H 100–160 cm W 32 cm D 36 cm 

31

Tonwerk

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