Beijingwalker
Elite Member
- Nov 4, 2011
- 76,455
- 104,114
- Country of Origin
- Country of Residence
Bigger than four city blocks, the world’s largest planetarium in Shanghai, China. The ultra-futuristic facility has a submerged theater that evokes a sense of anti-gravity.
by Neha Tandon Sharma
The Shanghai Planetarium (Shanghai Astronomy Museum) is officially opening on July 17, 2021, It's the biggest planetarium in the world, nearly 38,000sq m (409,000sq ft). It looks like a celestial orbit, sans the presence of straight lines or right angles, echoing the geometry of the universe.
This cosmic museum is designed to educate and inform the public on subjects ranging from the history of Chinese astronomy to the future innovations in scientific research and space exploration. Upon its completion in 2018, the building will house a diverse program of spaces including a planetarium theater, an IMAX cinema, a solar telescope, an observatory, a youth observation camp, and education and research centers.
The building consisting of three “celestial bodies” in architectural form: the Oculus, the Inverted Dome, and the Sphere. Despite what you might think, these three components are not simply metaphors for the extraterrestrial program that they house: Their forms create an immersive environment for astronomical observations, actively working to draw the public closer to the mysteries of space.
Each major element acts as an astronomical instrument, tracking the sun, moon and stars — reminding visitors that our conception of time originates in distant astronomical objects and enriching the museum exhibit experience with actual encounters of celestial movement.
Firstly, the Oculus — an ancient architectural element first made famous by the Pantheon in Rome — turns the building itself into an astronomical instrument, visualizing the passage of time with a circle of light that moves slowly across the gallery floor. While the Oculus has scientific significance in this context, its experiential qualities may hew towards the visceral, not unlike James Turrell’s atmospheric installations, which transform light itself into immersive works of art.
Secondly, the Inverted Dome forms a focal point at the museum’s heart, offering what the architects describe as a “sublime spatial experience” at the culmination of the visitors’ journey through the museum interior. The dome’s inverted form makes the sky itself a focus, and the uninterrupted glazing creates a light and airy atmosphere in the atrium housing the majority of the museum’s permanent exhibits.
Finally, the Sphere houses the Planetarium theater inside a geodesic dome, a classic form reminiscent of many astronomically oriented buildings around the world, including Le Planetarium de Buenos Aires and the Saturn-like Indira Gandhi Planetarium in India.
The Sphere appears as the positive counterpart to the inverted dome, nestled within a curved pedestal like a pearl in the heart of a concrete oyster shell. Landscaped pathways spiral outward from this pedestal, around the exterior of the planetarium, echoing the elliptical orbits of the planets around the sun. The sweeping green space — a welcome addition in a city bursting at the seams with new development — provides further external exhibitory to supplement the museum program, including a 24-meter high solar telescope.
The planetarium is a valuable new amenity for locals, particularly for students across the region.
by Neha Tandon Sharma
The Shanghai Planetarium (Shanghai Astronomy Museum) is officially opening on July 17, 2021, It's the biggest planetarium in the world, nearly 38,000sq m (409,000sq ft). It looks like a celestial orbit, sans the presence of straight lines or right angles, echoing the geometry of the universe.
This cosmic museum is designed to educate and inform the public on subjects ranging from the history of Chinese astronomy to the future innovations in scientific research and space exploration. Upon its completion in 2018, the building will house a diverse program of spaces including a planetarium theater, an IMAX cinema, a solar telescope, an observatory, a youth observation camp, and education and research centers.
The building consisting of three “celestial bodies” in architectural form: the Oculus, the Inverted Dome, and the Sphere. Despite what you might think, these three components are not simply metaphors for the extraterrestrial program that they house: Their forms create an immersive environment for astronomical observations, actively working to draw the public closer to the mysteries of space.
Each major element acts as an astronomical instrument, tracking the sun, moon and stars — reminding visitors that our conception of time originates in distant astronomical objects and enriching the museum exhibit experience with actual encounters of celestial movement.
Firstly, the Oculus — an ancient architectural element first made famous by the Pantheon in Rome — turns the building itself into an astronomical instrument, visualizing the passage of time with a circle of light that moves slowly across the gallery floor. While the Oculus has scientific significance in this context, its experiential qualities may hew towards the visceral, not unlike James Turrell’s atmospheric installations, which transform light itself into immersive works of art.
Secondly, the Inverted Dome forms a focal point at the museum’s heart, offering what the architects describe as a “sublime spatial experience” at the culmination of the visitors’ journey through the museum interior. The dome’s inverted form makes the sky itself a focus, and the uninterrupted glazing creates a light and airy atmosphere in the atrium housing the majority of the museum’s permanent exhibits.
Finally, the Sphere houses the Planetarium theater inside a geodesic dome, a classic form reminiscent of many astronomically oriented buildings around the world, including Le Planetarium de Buenos Aires and the Saturn-like Indira Gandhi Planetarium in India.
The Sphere appears as the positive counterpart to the inverted dome, nestled within a curved pedestal like a pearl in the heart of a concrete oyster shell. Landscaped pathways spiral outward from this pedestal, around the exterior of the planetarium, echoing the elliptical orbits of the planets around the sun. The sweeping green space — a welcome addition in a city bursting at the seams with new development — provides further external exhibitory to supplement the museum program, including a 24-meter high solar telescope.
The planetarium is a valuable new amenity for locals, particularly for students across the region.
. This is solid development in China and it can help motivate people to seek career in space sciences and technology. LeGenD approves. 
