Mother of Pearl Experience Museum Adorf in Vogtland | Schulz und Schulz

"The new building connects four existing structures. The historic buildings, which account for about 80% of the total area, are preserved for long-term use. The new building has no basement to minimize concrete usage. Technical rooms are located in one of the adjacent historic buildings. The curved facade is made of a material-minimized concrete hypar shell with CO2-reduced cement. The existing load-bearing structure is reinforced with solid wood from local forests, and native wood is used for windows and furniture. The flooring consists of natural stone from a nearby quarry. Heating and cooling are provided by a brine-water heat pump powered by solar electricity, and the ventilation system incorporates heat recovery"

(Ansgar Schulz, Benedikt Schulz)

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The new, one-of-a-kind museum is devoted to the cultural heritage of the freshwater pearl mussel, traditional pearl fishing, and the craftsmanship of mother-of-pearl objects. The architectural concept draws directly from the morphology of the mussel: the tension between its rough exterior and precious interior is translated into a unified spatial experience. The building envelope, a deliberately skewed and warped shell, abstractly reinterprets the form of the mussel and asserts itself as a sculptural landmark within the public realm. A continuous flow of water cascades over the exposed concrete surface into a fountain, symbolizing the vital connection between the mussel and its fluvial habitat.

Structural engineering and building
physics
Mathes Beratende Ingenieure GmbH,
D-09112 Chemnitz

Heating, ventilation, and sanitary
design
Dr. Schlott und Partner GmbH,
D-08056 Zwickau

Electrical design
Ingenieurgesellschaft Lachmann-Dominok
mbH,
D-08606 Oelsnitz/Vogtland

Thermal building physics, thermal
insulation, and energy performance
assessment
GWT-TUD GmbH,
D-01067 Dresden

Building acoustics, room acoustics
and noise immission /
Akustik Bureau Dresden,
D-01219 Dresden

Landscape design
Öko-Plan Bauplanung GmbH,
D-08523 Plauen

Exhibition design
KOCMOC.NET GmbH,
D-04103 Leipzig