Homage to Our Hosts: The Rose Center for Earth and Space

摘要

The Rose Center for Earth and Space is conceived as a "cosmic cathedral." Thus, the architects aimed to create a spatial experience to arouse awe, and inspire visitors with the wonders of the universe. We will explore the design, the construction process, and the result--the perfect iconic forms, a sphere suspended within a transparent glass cube--a geometric configuration comparable to Pei's Louvre pyramid. Further, it harkens back to Boullée's Cenotaph to Newton from 1784, a sphere pinpointed by holes presenting the illusion of stars and planets revolving in a planetarium. Generous patronage enabled builders to design a monument that "... symbolizes the infinity of space... and a stairway to the stars."