Architecture & Design &Science Entropy | 12 Apr 2010
The Cocoon
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.
- Charles Darwin-(1809 –1882)
The new Darwin Centre, recently opened to visitors, it is an extension of the famous Natural History Museum in London.
The Centre is designed by Scandinavian architects CF Møller. At 60 metres long, 12 metres wide, 300 millimetres thick and covering 3,500 square metres, it is the largest sprayed concrete curved structure in Europe.
It offers 1,040 square metres of laboratory space, doubling the size of the museum’s lab areas. The top three floors are devoted to spectacular new galleries, where some of the oldest and most precious objects in the collection, among them specimens brought back by Charles Darwin from the Beagle voyage, is displayed.
The Centre taking the form of a huge eight-storey concrete cocoon, surrounded by a glass atrium. The Natural History Museum is a world-leading science research centre. The architecture of the Darwin Centre reflects this dual role, and reveals to the public for the first time the incredible range and diversity of the Museum’s collections and the cutting-edge scientific research they support.
The centerpiece is made to appear like a large silk cocoon, and forms the inner protective element that houses the museum’s unique collection of 17 million insects and 3 million plants. The shape and size give the visitor a tangible understanding of the volume of the collections contained within.
The collections areas within the Cocoon are world class, the regulation of temperature and humidity reduce the risk of pest infestations ensuring that the collections will be protected and preserved for many years to come. The exposed thermal mass of the continuous sprayed reinforced concrete shell maintains a stable internal environment, and minimizes energy loading.
Public access to the scientific core of the second phase of the Darwin Centre takes the form of a visitor route up and through the cocoon, overlooking the science and collection areas. Visitors can experience the Darwin Centre as a compelling and interactive learning space, observing the scientific and research activities without interrupting scientific work in progress.
» Read NYTimes Feature : Enjoy the Bugs, but Don’t Feed the Scientists here
» Explore Darwin Centre website here
on 13 Apr 2010 at 5:19 pm 1.Bhavesh said …
I really like the architecture of this museum But 17 million insects and 3 million plants!!!! I am speechless. I can only marvel at the thought of knowledge this museum has to offer.
Indeed a must go for bug enthusiasts !. I will go for sure !