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Project DescriptionNATHAN AND FANNYE SHAFRAN PLANETARIUM, CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The Nathan and Fannye Shafran Planetarium in Cleveland, Ohio was designed by architectural engineering firm Westlake Reed Leskosky. Zahner covered the planetarium cone in a custom rose-colored titanium/stainless steel skin, the first outdoor use of the material in North America. Embedded within each panel, fiber-optic lights reference and reinforce the structure’s star-focused purpose.
Designing a uniquely functional exterior facade system
In addition to the functional aspects of housing the planetarium, the architects used the building’s design to create an ingenious educational opportunity. The building’s chamfered roof is pitched to 41.5 degrees, in direct alignment for visitors to follow the building lines into the sky to locate Polaris, the North Star.
The planetarium officially opened in 2002, and in doing so, set the bar for planetariums worldwide by blending advanced technology with real-world experiences.
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