Literaturarchiv Marbach
Client: Museum of Modern Literature and Schiller National Museum & German Literature Archive Marbach
Planning: Jörg Oetinger, smow Stuttgart, Agentur L2M3, Simon Busse Studio
Year: 2024
Areas furnished: Museum / Exhibition rooms
Brief
When the world’s three largest Kafka collections, namely the Israeli National Library, the Bodleian Library Oxford and the Marbach Literary Archive, join forces with the aim of dedicating an exhibition to the writer's legacy on the occasion of his 100th birthday, the challenge is enormous: hundreds of exhibits by and about Kafka had to be brought into a coherent structure and prepared didactically in such a way that they were accessible and comprehensible for visitors. But not just that! In order to make the exhibition visually appealing and powerful in its effect it required furniture that was as well thought out as it was functional, a task as complex and apparently comparable to the multi-layered and often impenetrable works of Kafka himself.
It was only when the didactic concept of L2M3, an office specializing in exhibition design, had been finalised and the opening was already within reach that the decision was made: the exhibition should be realized on the basis of USM furniture. Simon Busse, the architect in charge, decided to bring in smow Stuttgart as experts for USM designs.
The requirements were clear: it had to be quick, it had to be practical and it had to be implemented within a strict budget. After the first meeting in February 2024 smow Stuttgart began an intensive design process that included the delivery and fine-tuning of the equipment in a sprint of just ten weeks. The task was enormous, but exemplary teamwork ensured that the exhibition "Kafka's Echo" met the highest standards not only in terms of content but also in its presentation.
Project Management
Realisation
As in Kafka's works, where every decision has profound consequences, the practical implementation also proved to be complex and multi-layered. The high demands on security and precision made every step a special challenge - especially in view of Franz Kafka's international reputation and the 100th birthday of the artist. A key concern was to ensure both theft protection and to maintain access for staff and researchers during ongoing operations. The USM display cases were therefore equipped with special anti-theft mechanisms that also enabled quick access.
In addition, the vitrines had to meet strict requirements regarding temperature, light and humidity. The lighting of the exhibits was limited to a maximum of 50 lux to avoid damage. Some particularly valuable pieces were presented in a cove which smow Stuttgart implemented with satin-finished Plexiglas elements.
Another special, and equally Kafkaesque, element was the mirrored hall, which was designed with USM display case towers. Together with graphic designer Rainer Haas a special mirror foil was selected in a multi-stage selection process that had to be applied to more than 300 metal panels with the utmost precision. These mirror surfaces not only reflected Kafka's parables, but also contributed to the unique atmosphere in this part of the exhibition.
Project Synopsis
Franz Kafka's work revolves around themes such as the absurdity of life, alienation and the unfulfilled longing for recognition. His characters - be it Gregor Samsa, who becomes isolated and speechless as a beetle, or the Hunger Artist, who fasts to death out of a desire for recognition - are symbols of the existential struggles of modern man. In 2024 the 100th anniversary of Kafka's death will be celebrated worldwide in a variety of contexts, but the central question remains the same: how can the complexity of this literary giant be brought to life?
This is precisely the challenge that the Stuttgart-based interior design experts from smow faced when furnishing the exhibition "Kafka's Echo" in the Marbach Literature Archive. The aim was to reflect the Kafkaesque world, the profundity and ambivalences in the design and layout of the exhibition. The furniture not only had to meet the strict museum requirements for safety and climate control, but also visualize Kafka's complex literary themes. The mirrored display case towers, which address Gregor Samsa's alienation and self-perception, or the satin-finished Plexiglas elements that subtly guide the view, created an enigmatic, almost surreal exhibition atmosphere that literally brought Kafka's works to life.
(Jörg Oetinger)
However, it was not just the technical know-how that made this project successful, rather it was the close collaboration between the Marbach Literary Archive, the USM experts, the agency L2M3, architect Simon Busse, graphic designer Rainer Haas and smow Stuttgart that laid the foundation for the success; and an process of realising the Kafka exhibition design concept which was very much to smow Stuttgart managing director Jörg Oetinger's satisfaction, "we've never had such good teamwork in a project with many different participants" being his enthusiastic resume.
Breuninger, Stuttgart
High fashion meets furniture design! In the joint project with Breuninger, exhibition areas in the women's and men's outerwear departments were equipped with home office installations for a period of several weeks.
Learn more
Lieblingsring, Leipzig
Glamour with style: a jewellery store was created that, with its elegant furnishings, puts the focus on jewellery and customers. A better – or to stay in the Lieblingsring scheme – a rounder concept is hard to imagine.
Learn more
Individual project planning with smow
Together with you smow design spatial office solutions and planning approaches for your office space. In cooperation with our architects and interior designers, we accompany your project from conception to implementation, so that you can continue to work productively and relaxed in the future. The smow project planning team can be contacted Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on +49 341 2222 88 66 and via email @ project@smow.com