In the "Valley of the Waves," visitors stroll across the building's roof to the entrance, passing two glass cubes housing a café-restaurant and a kiosk, which sit like rocks in the surf. The architects describe the design concept as "under the sky" and "under the sea": The concave roof creates a sheltered open-air space and focuses the view of the ocean. Inside, it spans the exhibition area as a convex ceiling, giving the impression of being beneath the "wave." It practically draws visitors down from the light-filled foyer into the unexpectedly large exhibition space. However, within this impressive volume of space, the placement of the exhibits appears rather arbitrary, and their design quite heterogeneous. As a scientific museum, the "Cité" aims to convey the ocean habitat interactively and playfully, employing films, touchscreens, and audio stations with state-of-the-art technology. Only one installation, a mini-tunnel with projections, is dedicated to the topic of surfing. But this is precisely where it becomes clear that real experiences are almost impossible to simulate, especially when spectacular surf spots are right on your doorstep.
The architecture, with its unusual yet clear design language, is all the more compelling. Its strong physical presence forms a counterpoint to the virtual worlds of the exhibition. The choice of materials reinforces this: smooth white surfaces unify the interiors into a spatial continuum, while a contrasting triad of glass, concrete, and the limestone paving of the roof emphasizes the sculptural exterior. The tactile surface of the exposed concrete, with its textile-like texture created by the OSB formwork panels, is particularly noteworthy. The wave-like building is embedded in the topography, which the architects also redesigned, allowing the structure and landscape to merge seamlessly. A large portion of the building volume is concealed below the edge of the terrain, and on the west side, the roof plaza transitions smoothly into the green space that leads to the sea.
