An extraordinary experience

Knowledge and inspiration are at the centre of Gothenburg’s new landmark (Sweden), which, in addition to complex expertise, also contains complex architecture.

With its new visualisation dome, Wisdome, Universeum in Gothenburg seeks to increase understanding of our complex world. With its objectives in place, Sweden’s National Science Centre has set the bar high for its latest extension.

The dome, which houses a new visualisation dome, was designed by the architectural firm Wingårdhs, headed by architect Gert Wingårdh, the same firm that designed the original Universeum in 1998. The actual construction of the dome and its complex structure took place in close cooperation between Universeum and local turnkey contractor Skeppsviken Bygg.

Spherical triangles

Universeum was originally built like a collage consisting primarily of wood, and the latest addition to the building includes another new element in the collage.

The dome structure itself relies on different strategies to make its unique look possible, and each part is visible to optimise the use of materials. The dome, which has a total diameter of 27.5 metres, is constructed of triangular elements, which together form a geodesic sphere. The load-bearing structure is glulam, while the exterior cladding consists of beautiful and resilient cedar wood chips in layers.

In addition to the dome itself, the Universeum extension also consists of a raised bridge structure that connects the new part to the original. Troldtekt acoustic panels in natural wood and black were chosen for the bridge space and corridor to ensure good acoustics and to complete the look with wood-based materials on the inside. The panels can also be seen in the staircase to the dome itself, where the black-painted panels provide a sophisticated contrast to the light wood cladding.

A 360-degree experience

Although the dome is unmistakeable in the cityscape, the sphere actually takes up minimal space on the property. The visualisation dome is located on the southern part of Universeum’s roof, where it almost floats above the existing building.

Inside, there is enough space to provide 150 people with a 360-degree 3D experience in the tilted hemisphere. Based on visualisation research conducted at Visualisation Centre C at Linköping University, it is possible to create an extraordinary visual experience – while making complex science accessible to everyone.