The basic idea

A special window has been fitted into the façade of a historic house at 30 Eupenerstraße in the Goethequartier district of Bremerhaven: a lifelike replica, made of glass, of the diatom Navicula. In this way, the project combines marine research, art and architecture in an unusual way.

The historical connection

The building was constructed in 1913 by Senator Eduard Wicht as an extension to an older house dating from 1908. Interestingly, even in its original state, it featured a strikingly shaped window whose form is strongly reminiscent of a Navicula. This is no coincidence: around 1900, diatoms were the subject of a veritable craze. Scientific works such as Ernst Haeckel’s famous illustrated book *Art Forms in Nature* (1899–1904) brought their delicate, aesthetic forms to the attention of a wide audience and demonstrably influenced the design language of Gründerzeit and Art Nouveau buildings of that era. It therefore stands to reason that the architecture of this house was also inspired by them.

The scientific significance of diatoms

Diatoms are tiny, single-celled organisms with glassy, often beautifully shaped shells. Despite their size (often just a few micrometres), they are of enormous ecological importance – they account for around 25 per cent of global photosynthetic output. Their structures are both extremely light and mechanically stable, which is why they have also been of interest to lightweight construction research since the 1980s. At the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) in Bremerhaven, this principle has been the subject of research for many years, including in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich, the architect Frei Otto and spin-off companies such as Synera (formerly ELISE GmbH).

How the Project Came About

The idea of developing a faithful glass replica of a diatom for the existing window opening required several consecutive steps:

• Securing funding (through the BEA project)
• Approval from the property owner, the municipal housing authority STÄWOG
• Coordination of material, color, and shape
• Clarification of structural engineering issues (glass thickness, stability, insulation)
• Fabrication of a suitable, modern wooden frame
• Search for a suitable glass workshop

The production process was technically challenging: The glass sculpture is quite large at about one meter, but also features fine details such as dents and notches, which can cause stress during the melting process. In fact, an initial attempt failed because a large bubble formed and a hole appeared—only a second, revised version was successful. The glass piece was ultimately produced in a glass workshop in Skalice (Czech Republic).

Outlook: Further Project Ideas

The forms of marine organisms are well-suited to serve as a flagship for the city of Bremerhaven due to their quality, aesthetics, cultural significance, and connection to the city’s history and research landscape. The following approaches exemplify a wide range of sustainable, aesthetic developments in “Ocean Style”:

1. Lamps (“Ocean Lights”) inspired by the transparency and diversity of forms found in radiolarians
2. Beach chairs with a light, elegant design, inspired by marine forms
3. Shade and weather protection structures based on the diatom Asterolampra, developed by Stephanie Bachir
4. Larger wind and weather protection structures, also based on Asterolampra, realized using Rhino/Grasshopper software

The NAVICULA window is thus presented as a model and starting point for a whole series of aesthetically and functionally well-thought-out, nature-inspired design projects in the city.

People and Institutions Involved

STÄWOG – Bremerhaven’s municipal housing authority, owner of the building, with a focus on urban development rather than profit

Rolf Thörner – an investor specializing in the renovation of old buildings, who also had the matching frame custom-made

Christian Hamm – a researcher at the AWI who oversaw the bionic and technical aspects of the project

Saskia Heinzel – the artist who actually designed and created the window; she heads the interdisciplinary studio Inui and has been collaborating with the AWI since 2021