The Ruhestein National Park Centre, interior view of the building, staircase

The Ruhestein National Park Center

The Ruhestein is a mountain pass between the Murg Valley and the Achertal in the northern Black Forest. And it is precisely here that the new National Park Center is located: a very special building that blends so harmoniously into the surrounding forest that it looks as if it has always been there. The design by the Dipperz-based firm of Sturm & Wartzeck, which won the architecture competition at the beginning of 2015, takes the forest, with its deadwood lying around, as its model. The eight elongated building blocks, lying on top of each other at right angles and carefully integrated into the existing forest, are modeled on tree trunks. The highlight is the Skywalk, an uncovered walkway that connects the visitor center with a 34-meter-high lookout tower that slopes at a 15-degree angle. It offers a unique view of the fir and spruce forest.

Reference summary

Architect

Büro Sturm & Wartzeck aus Dipperz

Location

Ruhestein
Germany

Duravit series

Category

Public

6,500 square meters of spruce shingles from the forests of the state forestry service ForstBW cover the facade. The exceptionally complex supporting structure with hybrid constructions made of wood and steel, as well as steel girders, required maximum precision and quality. Added to this were the high demands of a construction site at an altitude of over 900 meters, with sometimes difficult weather conditions.

The barrier-free National Park Center extends over five floors and descends along the steep hillside property at the foot of the Ruhestein. The centerpiece is the approximately 1,000-square-meter permanent exhibition about the forest, its life phases and its seasons. The exhibition takes up the idea of the overlapping building blocks and connects them to a – not only horizontal, but also vertical – tour. From the entrance level, visitors are led down to the lowest level, for example, to the roots of a fir tree. Using modern media, the new information center conveys connections between species, the influence of humans, and comprehensive spatial and temporal perspectives. A cinema, a restaurant with a sun terrace, and a shop offer visitors a high-quality experience. The room of silence, located at the end of the exhibition, invites visitors to linger and reflect.
The entire building radiates a calm atmosphere, which extends to the sanitary facilities. Natural-colored tiles, white ceramics and light-colored wood create a calm atmosphere. The washbasins, toilets and urinals from the Architec and ME by Starck series, both timeless classics in the Duravit range, blend perfectly into the ambiance. This concept has also been consistently implemented in the barrier-free toilets with Architec Vital.

Facts at a glance:
Planning and construction: 2015 - 2020
Usable floor space: around 3200 square meters (3000 National Park Center, 200 Skywalk)
Permanent exhibition: around 1000 square meters
Temporary exhibition: around 150 square meters
Construction costs: 35.5 million euros