Opening this july, the 'palaon research and experience center by zurich and berlin-based practice holzer kobler architekturen embodies a site where 300,000 year-old spears -the oldest man-made hunting weapons found to date- were found in shoningen, germany. the faceted structure features a reflective skin marked by the various cuts and seams that delineate the facade panels and mirror the hilly landscape.  
The experience of the exhibition is no doubt at the heart of the structure. the three-story foyer serves as a routing point for views and circulation, offering glimpses of the research facilities and exhibition spaces on the first floor and the distant coal mines. visiting the restaurant, shops, and educational areas leads one on a sequential journey through the layered building until reaching the top floors where current excavations and research can be witnessed in the laboratories integrated into the exhibition- turning the building into a real-time experience.