PLANETARIUM
Glenn Smith
Managing director Sky-Skan Europe, planetarium designer/installer
How long did the project take? From the initial public tender for the project, it’s taken around two years. Sky-Skan took over when the main con- tractor delivered the fi nished building to our specifi cation in July 2013. Then we installed the dome, Defi niti®3D projec- tion system, and other technology. Early on in the project, we worked with the client to develop the right tech- nical spec and content as part of a ‘no obligation’ inquiry for proposals and design enquiries. Nine months before opening we also provided a production system complete with a mini dome and fi sh-eye projector, so that Techmania staff could get used to the technology and workings of the planetarium before opening day. This is an option that we always offer our clients.
Is it your fi rst planetarium project in the Czech Republic? We also upgraded the Prague Planetarium to digital in 2009 . It’s one of the largest in Europe. The Techmania project is the country’s fi rst 3D Planetarium.
What technology has been installed? We’ve installed a passive 3D system using two sets of dual Sony SRX Series cinema projectors at a 4K resolu- tion. This means that if you draw a line anywhere across the meridian of the 14m-diameter dome, the screen will always be 4,000 pixels There’s also a 5.1 surround sound sys-
tem using JBL speakers, and a wireless infrared headphone system so the facil- ity can show the fi lms simultaneously in two other foreign languages alongside the Czech language. Sky-Skan CoveEX LED lighting is installed at the base of the dome, which washes it with spe- cial effect colours. Skeie from Norway supplied the seating.
Did you provide content? Our system is delivered with a vast amount of content already on it, and we also have a distribution depart- ment for pre-rendered shows and
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Techmania aims to offer interactivity, fun and great education
movies with over 200 titles available. For this project, the client also wanted two ready-to-go shows available in the Czech language.
What were the challenges of the project? The dome is tilted 15 degrees, which gives viewers a more immersive experi- ence but presents its own challenges regarding the seating. Seats had to be rigged on a tilted, stepped fl oor, to allow the focal point of viewers to be in dif- ferent places – for example, high on the dome when a show is on or down front- centre when there’s a lecture or concert. We devised a great seating plan with
Skeie, and the end result is a very com- fortable viewing experience. Visitors simply use their body to move their seat
GROWTH OF TECHMANIA
The Techmania Science Center in Plzen covers an area of approximately 30,000sq m. The site occupies a number of restored historic buildings on the former premises of the SKODA car company, creating a new urban leisure space close to Plzen’s city centre. The development of Techmania has been in stages, with the exhibition space expanding from 3000sq m in late 2008 up to 10,000sq m by June 2014. The Techmania Science Center 3D Planetarium opened in November 2013 and is housed in a unique historic building dating back to 1917.
Read Attractions Management online
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– when they want it to tilt, it tilts, and it’s easy to hold in any position. As the seat only moves in the space it occu- pies, it’s not necessary to have large gaps between seat rows.
What, in your view, is next for the world of planetariums? We’ve been delivering planetarium projects with around 8K resolution in recent years, even including one in 3D. These have over 30 million pixels on the dome, which gives a stunningly real effect. It’s approaching the limit of the human eye, as there are really no dis- cernable pixels anymore. The price has been prohibitive in the
past, but we’re seeing the cost gradually come down as the technology allows us to do more with less equipment. ●
Techmania and the new planetarium are on the site of a former SKODA factory
Plzen is one of the larger cities in the Czech Republic and is famed as the home of Pilsner Urquell beer. The city has been undergoing a renaissance in recent years and in 2015 it will be the European Capital of Culture alongside Mons in Belgium.
AM 1 2014 ©Cybertrek 2014
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