Set in a park adjacent to a lake and river, the building is overlaid on winding pedestrian foot paths and covered by an undulating roof punctuated by a single, perfect orb containing a dome screen theater.

The terrestrial, celestial, and hyperbolic forms of the project symbolize the program.  The specificity of the geometry makes it practically impossible to imitate. Thus, the means by which the project is created is of lasting importance.  These surface geometry is subdivided, rationally, in order to be made of sustainably economical, discrete flat surfaces. The roofs would be clad either in a system of overlapping sheet metal panels or in glass reinforced lightweight waterproofed concrete.

The building is bisected by a public east-west access which draws visitors towards the epicenter of the composition. Circulation for buses, service delivery and safety vehicles, cars, bicycles and surface parking areas are carefully interrelated. Ramps lead down to underground parking.  The public can arrive in the lobby directly from the garage. VIP can be dropped off in a special location in the garage and use elevators that lead directly to the VIP reception room.

The north wing contains ticketing, reception, shop, children’s exhibition gallery, meeting rooms; the south wing includes the permanent and temporary exhibition halls, 1,000 seat auditorium, library, archives, meeting rooms, administrative offices, cafeteria, 4D theater, motion theater, 440 seat IMAX theater, 280 seat dome screen cinema.

The plaza and roof allow for controlled storm and run-off gray water to be harvested and stored in cisterns and to be recycled for recharging the water table and for supplying the two water features; the roofs are designed to contain deep space for insulation particularly suited to control heat gain in the summer; the large volumes are designed to combine air and light distribution with maximum efficiently; the structural systems support suspended ceilings containing flexible HVAC ducts.


Program: 65,000 M2 Science museum and study center

Schedule: International Competition, 2016

Team: Preston Scott Cohen, Carl Dworkin (Design)