The museum in Słupsk has decided to broaden its offer for visitors. The open-air museum facility called “Albrecht’s Homestead” has been connected with the second complex, in which tradition and modernity are combined.
The museum announced a competition for “Developing a concept for the arrangement of exhibitions as well as a cinema and theatre hall in three historic buildings in Swołowo”, in which our work won the first prize, thus gaining the possibility of realization.
We based our work on the scenarios proposed by the museum’s staff and we worked in close cooperation with them. As a result, we have created inside the nineteenth-century “Checked House” interiors the designs of three multimedia exhibitions concerning the Pomeranian region.
The characteristic architecture of timber framing construction became the main element of the exhibition and had a great influence on the means we used.
Historia magistra vitae est
The exhibition entitled Historia magistra vitae est is an introduction to the topic. It is a story that manoeuvres between history and legend, in which facts mix with parables, presenting interesting facts about the region, but also touching on the difficult subject of repatriation. The content of the exhibition has been depicted by means of scenography, and the individual rooms illustrate particular subjects. We have used means referring to the folk character of the exhibition and we have given a new function to such objects, as sheaves of straw, a wagon or colourful ribbons, by using them to create walls, seats and light partitions.
Weaving traditions in Pomerania
Weaving traditions of Pomerania present a story about women and their role on the farm. In this part, such objects as fabrics and equipment used by women at work have become the main element of the exhibition. We have used artistic means based on the play of light and shadow to emphasize the delicacy and feminine character of these works.
The Checked House – past, present, future
The men’s world is shown in the exhibition ”The Checked House – past, present, future”, which focuses the visitors’ attention on the construction, carpentry and joinery traditions. The exhibits present beautiful wooden chests and, only seemingly common objects, like handles or bricks. We have applied simple spatial forms and subdued colours (grays), emphasizing the plasticity of the building’s architecture itself. The message of the content is dynamic thanks to black and white photographs, modern orange graphics based on typography and multimedia stands.
Graphic identification
We have also designed the labelling of individual buildings and rooms in the new homestead. Each building has been labeled with a graphic sign printed on transparent plexiglass and attached to the wall’s construction elements.
Multimedia
From the first phases of conceptual design, multimedia was an important element of the exhibition. They play a double role here. Firstly, sound recordings and projections integrated into the rich scenography deepen the effect of immersion, a transfer to another reality. Secondly, interactive multimedia stands complement and expand the content of the exhibition.
