Pile Dwelling Museum in Unteruhldingen — a combination of archaeological research and contemporary, modern timber construction

In June 2024, the new extension to Germany's oldest open-air archaeological museum was opened. The modern wooden building's shape is reminiscent of an oversized dugout canoe that has been pulled ashore and turned upside down. It serves as a visitor center and exhibition hall.

The new building was designed by a+r architects to appropriately present the cultural heritage of the pile dwellings, which are part of the UNESCO World Heritage, while at the same time offering visitors a forward-looking, interactive and informative experience.

The museum is one of the most visited in Europe and has been offering insights into millennia of human history for over 100 years. Upon entering the new, light-filled visitor hall, visitors are immediately struck by the open roof truss with its impressive beam construction. A dugout canoe appears to float in the center of the room, symbolically forming a dividing line between the underwater exhibits on the ground floor and the land-based artifacts presented on the upper floor. In addition to natural daylight, energy-efficient LED light sources have been integrated into the architectural design of the new building to minimize the museum's environmental footprint. NauticProfil® lines, extending approximately 65 meters around the gallery, provide indirect, atmospheric lighting.

Both inside and out, wood dominates as the environmentally friendly building material, harmoniously blending with the look of the up to 100-year-old stilt houses and thus creating a connection between the past and the present.