H.D. Schmidt family legacy revived in the heart of Pärnu

Project ordered by Colonna Capital

Project manager & researcher: Errit Kuldkepp

Designer: Silver Kao / vulfram.com 

Installation by Pilvepiir OÜ

 

When we were contacted by Margus Kluge from Colonna Capital with the aim to “breathe in life” into Aida 5 building in Pärnu, then the spaces below became our “canvases”.

 

They needed a new, more meaningful look, which preferrably was linked to historical backround so that we could build a story around it.

All of this led to deep and very interesting research which began in Pärnu Museum, followed by precious time spent in National Archive in Tartu & and carrying out desk-research.

We discovered that at the end of the 19th century, large warehouses and granaries were built near the port of Pärnu to sort and store grain.

Hans Dietrich Schmidt‘s trading station owned two flax granaries named Bastion (at Aida 5, former Põhja 6/8). This was the perfect input for our storyline. 

The trading station was established in 1741 by the Baltic German Hans Dietrich Schmidt (1714-1788).

H. D. Schmidt’s trading station was nationalized by the Soviet Union during World War II, in 1940. The Schmidt family lived in Pärnu until 1941. Like many Baltic Germans, Herbert Schmidt fled to Germany with his two sons, Rolf and Jürgen.

The two-hundred-year-old Schmidt dynasty came to an end, but their dignified story continued to live in the historical narrative of the city of Pärnu. 

Click on the 4 photos below to see the “making of” videos on Instagram

Below you can see how our design and ideas were brought to life by Pilvepiir OÜ, as they made the prints and installations to all of the ideas that were created by our team.

To be continued….but until then you are invited to visit my Instagram where you can see the story unfolding in H.D.S highlight