LINGVO - museum of language

nd , As we speak - LINGVO museum in Białystok

First two most used forms of language are spoken and written forms. Book is a symbol of written word, knowledge, sharing ideas to the world in understandable form to anyone who can read it. LINGVO museum is meant to look like four books dug into soil - as symbols of word, language and history of Bialystok and its honorable inhabitant - Eliezer Lewi Samenhof - inventor of the Esperanto language. Form of the building also tries to establish a dialogue with tradition of place by using legible symbols of its architecture - slope roof and wooden finish. (picture below)

Simultaneously, it doesn't pretend to be old. It takes these symbols and connects them together with a modern-looking solid that no one will confuse with the old buildings. 

Main material that I wanted to expose to visitors is wood. That's why most of the construction is made of glued wood, and the finishing of facades is made of dark pine wood. Few of trees that was growing on site are left untouched - they are part of land use and the square behind the building. 

Immersive experience that was supposed to be designed in the building is a really new concept. Before designing my own I decided to go on a trip to Berlin in search of it. I’ve visited (among others) Topography of Terror, Jewish Museum, Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and Futurium. Most of them presented very high level of architecture and design solutions to provide universal space for exhibitions. I found out that most museums and exhibition places are still using the old method of presenting its content: Exhibition of artifacts, some written word next to it and audio guide. That’s it. Futurium amongst others, is (trying to be) most innovative and futuristic. Still, the most immersive experience was a NFC tag to scan/grab text from exhibits, and read it later. Suprisingly I have found Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe to provide the most immersive experience. Despite the fact that it is, physically, just a lot of concrete blocks.(picture below)

People walking between these blocks were seeing each other either in long perspective, or in very close distance. Orthogonal mesh made people appear and disappear instantly. This made me feel this space, experience it as if it was a symbol of how short and fragile human life is. 

Conclusion from this trip was: Feelings are key to make an exhibition immersive. 

Museum that I designed is made of three parts/levels experience - the first level is a typical museum with audio guide, text and artifacts. Goal is to make people enter immersive experience step by step, not immediately. This way they dont expect the moment when exhibition gets more dimensions. 

Second level is culmination moment - physical space that is between immersive and non-immersive experience and is dedicated to L.L.Zamenhof. It tries to open minds for learning new languages, to pay attention to people who visit the exhibition, communicate, and create. Main goal of this part of the exhibition is to teach people about their ability to communicate even if they don't know the language of the interlocutor, and make them feel able to convey any simple message. There is equipment to record spoken word, and what visitors don’t know - their own voice and words (intended in Esperanto) are played in audio guide to other visitors in level one of the exhibition. 

Third part is an immersive exhibition space that can also be used as a multi-purpose hall for events, workshops, seminars, etc. It is meant to be used as space to experience augmented reality, virtual reality, to watch and interact with parts of exhibition.

Building is meant to be eco-friendly. Materials that are used are produced with zero carbon footprint including concrete (-1 level) and not large amounts of steel (strenghtening of construction). Insulation is made of natural cork that has negative carbon footprint. There is a rainwater tank in the basement. Perovskites, i.e. solar panels, are mounted on the shutters on the windows and on the roof. The greenhouse effect inside is eliminated by the blinds/shutters.