MUSEUMOTEL, BY PASCAL HAUSERMANN
Jul 26 2012 ·
This bubbly hotel in France, is a remarkable marvel of retro architecture that has been revamped and re-opened in the 21st century. Settled within the country’s north-eastern woodland, the collection of curved, white pod structures resembles something out of a futuristic movie-set. Breaking away from traditional architecture, the structures are made using a “concrete veil” building technique that stacks layers of metal mesh, thermal insulation, and polystyrene, which is finally sprayed with concrete.
“The story of Museumotel is fascinating not only because it spans decades, but also because it shows how ahead of their time Thierry and Hausermann were when they conceived the hotel. The idea of an intimate hotel made up of individual structures built to give guests room to relax in their own private space may not seem that strange now, but it was far from ordinary in 1965. The current success of Museumotel really does demonstrate that a good idea is always in fashion.
The Museumotel has remains popular among design enthusiasts and architecture lovers in the Raon l’Etape area. Recently, a group of 6 students from a nearby technical college made a 1/2 scale model of one of the bubble houses. It was delivered to the Museumotel, where it looks like the mini-bubble is to be used as a children’s space.” (piece by Been Seen)
