Designed to light naturally the main entrance area of the museum, this roof of over 2000m2 has been specially designed following a conscious geometrical hierarchy to transform the awkward dimensions of the existing building’s main structure.
A structure, “the spider”, is suspended from the existing roof beams and by means of “flying columns” and two annular beams supports two 28m diameter rotating domes, equipped with “robotic mirrors” which control the quantity and quality (direction) of sunlight penetrating to the space below.
Between the domes and the outer rectangular edge of the roof is tensioned an insulated double-skinned fabric roof which, uniquely, transmits a percentage of natural light.
The two large rotating domes that follow the daily movement of the sun on a horizontal plane are equipped with lightweight reflecting mirrors. These are programmed to rotate automatically in the vertical plane, and translate in the horizontal plane in conjunction with the dome's rotation to provide the entrance hall below with controlled sunlight.
The functions that are capable of being executed are:
The whole system can be computer controlled remotely for educational purposes and will immediately relocate itself for automatic function.