Schulz und Schulz

Description

Adorf is facing the typical challenges of rural regions: an ageing and declining population, a loss of attractiveness as a place to live and work, and the resulting difficult economic situation. The town is actively countering these changes by improving infrastructure and educational opportunities. The new Mother-of-Pearl Experience Museum represents a flagship project for the town and the region, intended to serve as both an object of identification and a driver of positive development. Nowhere else in the world does such a museum exist dedicated to the freshwater pearl mussel, pearl fishing and the production of mother-of-pearl goods. Adorf aims to leverage the museum as a unique and attractive feature in actively shaping its structural transformation. The new building connects the listed historic structures into a cohesive museum complex for the preservation, research and communication of the cultural heritage of mother-of-pearl. Its appearance is derived from the structure of the shell: a rough exterior and a precious interior stand in contrast while forming a unified whole. The irregularly warped building envelope transforms the image of the mussel shell and creates a striking presence in the public space. The concrete of the curved building shell is also analogous to the mussel shell due to its method of production. Water continuously flows over the concrete shell into a fountain, referencing flowing water as the essential basis of life for the mussel