Gold rush:
VISUELL wins the FOCUS OPEN 2024 Gold

We are happy and incredibly proud: Our new concept for the Obstbaumuseum Glems was honoured with the FOCUS OPEN Award 2024 in gold in the category “Public Design, Urban Design”! The FOCUS OPEN, organised by the Design Center Baden-Württemberg, is one of the most prestigious German design competitions with an international focus and awards prizes for outstanding design achievements. The gold-winning works set standards in quality, innovation and sustainability – a great recognition for our team and the intensive collaboration with the Obstbaumuseum Glems. In this blog post, we take you behind the scenes of this special project and tell you what makes the design so special.

The old wine press in new splendour
The Obstbaumuseum Glems near Metzingen is located in a listed wine press. This historic building offered us a unique starting point, but also presented us with exciting challenges. Our aim was to create a contemporary and appealing exhibition that would bring the history of orcharding to life while preserving the charm of the historic building.

Interactive experiences without digital overload
Although we like to make good use of digital technology, this is not always the right medium. For the fruit tree museum, we deliberately opted for a different approach: We wanted to create analogue, sensory hands-on experiences and get young people in particular interested in orchards. The exhibition is not only dedicated to the history of orchards, but also to their significance for biodiversity, cultural heritage and craftsmanship. Because we are convinced: “You can only protect what you know.”
Haptic exhibits, rotating columns, magnifying glasses and games invite visitors to discover and touch. The offer is complemented by targeted media stations that provide information on types and varieties of fruit or insights into traditional trades. The figure of Glemmy the Bee playfully guides children through the exhibition.
“Visitors are not overloaded with information, but are taken by the hand,” say Laureen and Luis Seider, Managing Directors of VISUELL.
Nevertheless, we have not dispensed with digital technology. The newly created archive for orchards provides information on local fruit species and varieties and their cultivation via touchscreen.

Focus on participation and sustainability
One particular aspect of the project was the close collaboration with the Obstbaumuseum Glems support association. “The association is strongly committed to the fruit tree museum,” emphasises Luis Seider. “The members shared their valuable knowledge with us in various workshops and thus incorporated it into the exhibition.”
Sustainability also played an important role. By using regional materials, transparent supply chains and working with local craftsmen, we were able to realise a long-lasting and resource-saving exhibition. A modular system for special exhibitions also ensures flexibility and avoids unnecessary consumption of resources.

The jury statement – a confirmation of our work
The jury of the FOCUS OPEN Award recognised our concept with the following statement:
“An outstanding example of the contemporary yet high-quality design of a regional museum housed in an old shell. The presentation deliberately dispenses with digital media technology and focuses on analogue, sensory hands-on experiences.”
This award confirms our approach and motivates us to continue developing innovative and appealing exhibition concepts.

Want to know more?
Would you like to visit the Obstbaumuseum Glems yourself and experience the award-winning exhibition? Read the award-winning interview with Laureen and Luis Seider here or take a look at the project contribution here.

Are you also planning a museum project or looking for a creative solution for your exhibition design? Contact us! We will be happy to advise you and develop a customised concept together with you.

^{Picture credits award ceremony: Benjamin Stollenberg}