Roszak Designs New Gallery at the Alder Planetarium

THIS SUMMER, ADLER PLANETARIUM UNVEILS THE GRAINGER SKY THEATER, THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED THEATER IN THE WORLD

Visitors will take off on a Deep Space Adventure for a one-of-a-kind immersive experience.

On Friday, July 8, the Adler Planetarium will reveal a new, immersive space experience like no other in the world!  Deep Space Adventure takes you aboard the observation deck of a futuristic starship where you will be surrounded by the larger-than-life phenomena of our dynamic Universe.

The centerpiece of Deep Space Adventure is the Grainger Sky Theater, which offers audiences the most immersive, technologically enhanced theater experience ever developed.  Visitors become space adventurers and set off on a journey to discover our Universe in a way never done before.   The theater was specifically designed with leading-edge technologies that enable visitors to explore space as if they were there.

The Grainger Sky Theater will project the largest single seamless digital image in the world with an ultra high definition screen resolution of more than 8k x 8k pixels.  This far surpasses the cinematic standard of 2k x 4k pixels, presenting a level of realism that can only be surpassed by actual space travel.

Vivid images of planets, stars, galaxies and other celestial objects are shown in the highest resolution and quality possible to evoke the feeling of being in deep space.  The on-screen imagery will expand beyond the traditional 180-degree dome and surround the visitor.  Special lighting effects in the floor complete the 360-degree experience. 

“Deep Space Adventure is a revolutionary way to explore the Universe,” said Paul H. Knappenberger Jr., PhD, president of the Adler Planetarium.  “Using the most advanced technology available in our completely transformed Grainger Sky Theater, and partnering with leading scientists, engineers and designers, we have created a thrilling adventure to inspire visitors to explore our Universe. Whether you are a novice or veteran space explorer, the Adler’s goal is to stimulate your curiosity and motivate further discovery.  We invite you to be the first explorers to join us on this maiden voyage to deep space.”

Clark Family Welcome Gallery, designed by Thomas Roszak Architecture

Visitors begin their Deep Space Adventure in the Clark Family Welcome Gallery. Multimedia interactive exhibits feature greetings from some of today’s prominent space explorers who have personal ties to Chicago. They will prepare museum visitors to explore space by encouraging them to ask intriguing questions and to build exploration skills.  The out-of-this-world gallery features futuristic architecture, colorful lights and video presentations, creating a dynamic and constantly changing environment.

The Grainger Sky Theater, designed by Wight + Co.

The adventure continues as visitors are drawn through a space portal to the new Grainger Sky Theater. Fashioned as the observation deck of a starship, the theater invites visitors to come aboard for the ultimate journey into deep space. Prepare for lift off as your adventure continues in the Grainger Sky Theater’s premier show The Searcher. Featuring scientific simulations from the most powerful supercomputers, and observations from the most advanced telescopes in existence, breathtaking visualizations capture the audience’s attention and bring you up close to the action.  Watch as a star is torn apart by a black hole; witness the collision of two massive galaxies; view the formation of the large-scale structure of the Universe; and encounter a dramatic supernova explosion.

“The theater technology and computational power used to store and access celestial images differentiates Deep Space Adventure from anything out there,” said Doug Roberts, PhD, Adler associate vice president for digital technology and project director for the new Grainger Sky Theater.  “Using 20 separate projectors - powered by 45 computers - to create one seamless image is unprecedented.  With the ability to create and present scientific data using images that are as good as the human eye can perceive, Adler visitors can explore deep space as if they were there.”

About the Adler   

The Adler Planetarium - America’s First Planetarium - was founded in 1930 by Chicago business leader Max Adler.  A recognized leader in public learning, the Adler inspires young people - particularly women and minorities - to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Scientists, historians and educators at the museum inspire the next generation of explorers.  Learn more at www.adlerplanetarium.org.

Stay tuned for more information and project photos on the next Thomas Roszak Architecture blog.

commodity, firmness, delight…and the super-cool

It has been a pleasure to be a part of the team headed by Zaha Hadid to build one of the two temporary pavilions for Chicago. It was commissioned by the Burnham Plan Centennial Committee to celebrate the centenary of 1909 Plan of Chicago (also known as the Burnham Plan) and will be open to the public this year from June 19th to October 31st in the South Chase Promenade of Millennium Park. My firm, Thomas Roszak Architecture, is acting as local architect of record.

What a treat to be involved in something that is all about doing supremely good architecture. It is about commodity, firmness and delight. Capital D.

Zaha Hadid and her team, headed by Thomas Vietzke and Jens Borstelmann, are not only architects; they are equally artists and scientists. They worry about all the things that architects worry about, but raised to a higher degree. The natural shapes are not arbitrary or purely artful, they are strict and serious and inspirational and insanely beautiful. The designs are based on complex curved shapes where the inclination of the curves are pure mathematics and not based on digitizing scraps of cardboard or clumps of clay. Every available point in space on the site is thoroughly analyzed…should it be part of the building or not. What color should that point in space be, what texture should it have, should light touch it?

What I find the most interesting is the conquest to do the right thing with the information that is known. For example, early on when we all agreed to change the concept of the structure and materials, Zaha and her team insisted to re-think and test all of the concepts all over again. They did not just side step and make some unenergetic adjustments. A completely new (and better) building was created. It was clearly better and it gave us all chills when we knew we are a part of something world-class and super-cool. Looking back it was all part of a natural plot trajectory that this pavilion had to go through to get built and be the great design that it is. Daniel Burnham would be proud.

Leading With Design

I firmly believe that high quality design is powerful -- it can make a living space special, but on a larger level, a well-designed building can help transform an entire community. That’s a point we’re trying to make with our latest mixed-used development, aquaterra in Mesa, Ariz. aquaterra is an exciting project because it’s an anchor of revitalization plans for Mesa’s Fiesta District, a mix of business and retail; and the community understands the importance of design as a strong differentiating factor. So we’re creating a development we think will become a landmark in the area – taking a different approach to the exterior and interior than what’s traditionally been built in the community. One of aquaterra’s most striking traits is its desert-inspired color palette that will literally create a mosaic on the Mesa landscape. But we also wanted to differentiate with the condo layouts so we called on Anna Simone, an international expert in creating smart interior spaces, to design units that cater to how people live – from room flow to storage options. In the Mesa area, we’ve found that there’s an untapped market that really appreciates design and sees it as one of the most important considerations when choosing a place to live. And with aquaterra, we’re appealing to that sensibility.