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Innovative architecture firm Ennead has designed a
cutting-edge planetarium, inspired by astronomy and
planetary science, for one of China’s leading modern museums
By Tom Anstey | Published in Attractions Management 2015 issue 2
The planetarium consists of three major elements: the Oculus, the Inverted Dome and the Sphere. Shanghai Planetarium will be an addition to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, which in 2013 attracted 3.5 million visitors
Ennead Architects has unveiled a futuristic design for the new Shanghai Planetarium in Shanghai, China. The New York firm was selected after winning an international competition.
The 38,000sqm (409,000sq ft) project will be part of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum in the Lingang district.
The design celebrates the continuum of time and space and, according to Ennead, the plans mirror the rich history of Chinese astronomy and the future ambitions of China’s space exploration programme.
“In linking the new museum to both scientific purpose and to the celestial references of buildings throughout history, the exhibits and architecture will communicate what it means to be human in a vast and largely unknown universe,” says Ennead Architects partner and design principal Thomas Wong.
The Oculus, the Inverted Dome and the Sphere comprise the central body of the architecture, with the building form, programme and circulation incorporating orbital movement, supporting the flow of visitors through the temporary and permanent galleries and the main areas.
The Oculus has been designed so visitors can track a circle of sunlight on the ground across the entry plaza and its reflecting pool. The Sphere on the outside of the building contains the 18 metre (59 foot) planetarium and acts as an icon and reference point to visitors within the museum; something Ennead says is “integral to the planetarium’s identity”.
Also included in the development will be an expansive green zone, as well as gardens incorporating an exterior exhibitory with a 24 metre (79 foot) solar telescope, youth observation camp and observatory. At this stage development costs are being kept confidential and other contractors working on the project are yet to be confirmed. The completion date is expected to be 2018.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Interview: Marty Sklar
Retired Disney Legend Marty Sklar
reveals the secrets of Imagineering,
the legacy of the 1964 World’s Fair
and the lessons he learned as
Walt Disney’s “keeper of the keys”
Talking Point: The $100 Barrier
As a Walt Disney World day ticket
enters three-digit territory for
the first time, we ask what this
means for pricing in the sector
Museums: Biomuseo
Panama has opened the world’s first
museum of biodiversity, an ambitious
building by architect Frank Gehry. We
meet the team behind the project
Expos: Food for Thought
Expo Milano 2015 launches in Italy,
aiming to bring the planet’s most
pressing problems to the fore, not least
how to provide food for everybody
Zoos & Aquariums: On the SAFE Side
AZA chair Dennis Pate explains a new
initiative designed to help endangered
animals, and offers some tips from
his world-class Henry Doorly zoo
Promotional feature: IDEATTACK
IDEATTACK is a creative maverick with a
new perspective, bringing custom-made
one-of-a-kind attractions typologies to
a world that needs something di�fferent
Rides: The Ride Makers
In the third part of our series, we look at
the enduring appeal of wooden coasters
Ticketing: Dream Tickets
Ticketing systems are advancing to
improve the guest’s experience and the
operator’s profit. We investigate the
sector’s current and upcoming trends
Suspended above the main entry to the museum, the Oculus element of the building’s design demonstrates the passage of time by tracking a circle of sunlight on the ground across the entry plaza and pool
Celestial bodies inspired the design
The Sphere houses the planetarium itself. A skylight around it allows light into the museum below – it should create a perfect ring of light on summer solstice
The Inverted Dome, which allows the real experience of day and night skies, is on top of the central atrium. All the galleries are organised around the central atrium
Innovative architecture firm Ennead has designed a
cutting-edge planetarium, inspired by astronomy and
planetary science, for one of China’s leading modern museums
By Tom Anstey | Published in Attractions Management 2015 issue 2
The planetarium consists of three major elements: the Oculus, the Inverted Dome and the Sphere. Shanghai Planetarium will be an addition to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, which in 2013 attracted 3.5 million visitors
Ennead Architects has unveiled a futuristic design for the new Shanghai Planetarium in Shanghai, China. The New York firm was selected after winning an international competition.
The 38,000sqm (409,000sq ft) project will be part of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum in the Lingang district.
The design celebrates the continuum of time and space and, according to Ennead, the plans mirror the rich history of Chinese astronomy and the future ambitions of China’s space exploration programme.
“In linking the new museum to both scientific purpose and to the celestial references of buildings throughout history, the exhibits and architecture will communicate what it means to be human in a vast and largely unknown universe,” says Ennead Architects partner and design principal Thomas Wong.
The Oculus, the Inverted Dome and the Sphere comprise the central body of the architecture, with the building form, programme and circulation incorporating orbital movement, supporting the flow of visitors through the temporary and permanent galleries and the main areas.
The Oculus has been designed so visitors can track a circle of sunlight on the ground across the entry plaza and its reflecting pool. The Sphere on the outside of the building contains the 18 metre (59 foot) planetarium and acts as an icon and reference point to visitors within the museum; something Ennead says is “integral to the planetarium’s identity”.
Also included in the development will be an expansive green zone, as well as gardens incorporating an exterior exhibitory with a 24 metre (79 foot) solar telescope, youth observation camp and observatory. At this stage development costs are being kept confidential and other contractors working on the project are yet to be confirmed. The completion date is expected to be 2018.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Interview: Marty Sklar
Retired Disney Legend Marty Sklar
reveals the secrets of Imagineering,
the legacy of the 1964 World’s Fair
and the lessons he learned as
Walt Disney’s “keeper of the keys”
Talking Point: The $100 Barrier
As a Walt Disney World day ticket
enters three-digit territory for
the first time, we ask what this
means for pricing in the sector
Museums: Biomuseo
Panama has opened the world’s first
museum of biodiversity, an ambitious
building by architect Frank Gehry. We
meet the team behind the project
Expos: Food for Thought
Expo Milano 2015 launches in Italy,
aiming to bring the planet’s most
pressing problems to the fore, not least
how to provide food for everybody
Zoos & Aquariums: On the SAFE Side
AZA chair Dennis Pate explains a new
initiative designed to help endangered
animals, and offers some tips from
his world-class Henry Doorly zoo
Promotional feature: IDEATTACK
IDEATTACK is a creative maverick with a
new perspective, bringing custom-made
one-of-a-kind attractions typologies to
a world that needs something di�fferent
Rides: The Ride Makers
In the third part of our series, we look at
the enduring appeal of wooden coasters
Ticketing: Dream Tickets
Ticketing systems are advancing to
improve the guest’s experience and the
operator’s profit. We investigate the
sector’s current and upcoming trends
Suspended above the main entry to the museum, the Oculus element of the building’s design demonstrates the passage of time by tracking a circle of sunlight on the ground across the entry plaza and pool
Celestial bodies inspired the design
The Sphere houses the planetarium itself. A skylight around it allows light into the museum below – it should create a perfect ring of light on summer solstice
The Inverted Dome, which allows the real experience of day and night skies, is on top of the central atrium. All the galleries are organised around the central atrium
Global Wellness Day (GWD) will mark its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
