My brief was to design a new world cultures museum in Frankfurt on a public park south of the river Main, with the main exhibit consisting of 3 large fishing boats. The form of my building responds to the formal patterns found in the old mansions that line the river front. I defined the park by a grid and then extruded the grid vertically at varying heights depending on the requirements of the space and the size of the artifacts. The tallest of these displaying the Kula and Outrigger boats which are double height spaces spanning the basement and ground floor. Within the exhibit the display boxes are built into the walls, creating the sense that they have been carved out of the earth.
The European red list is a collection and review of the conservation status of around 6000 European species of animals and plants, it identifies those that are threatened with extinction. Within the region of Hesse that Frankfurt resides there are 633 plant species flagged as endangered. My scheme responded to this issue, and I wanted the building to become an extension of the park, not only retaining the recreational space but also increasing biodiversity and creating a nature corridor for the movement of plants and animals.
Regarding this, the building is constructed out of rammed earth with a concrete retaining wall lining the basement, the rammed earth is expressed internally and externally, and the café is clad with timber. The roofs consist of flat green roofs and the stepped forms are created out of engineered wood. I have assigned locations around the building and site to different species of plants depending on water and light requirements. The plants that have been removed in the construction process will have their reliefs along sections of the building’s walls.
Gallery
Click to enlarge
