Since 1978, the Michigan Science Center has evolved into an institution that aims to foster experiential learning. Its architecture, however, lags behind its stated mission of engaging a diverse and intergenerational audience. The schematic design proposes to address this disjunction by unifying the building's fragmented additions through the integration of sustainable technologies—solar panels, wind energy, and water management systems—intended to function as demonstrations of contemporary construction techniques.
This pragmatic intervention extends beyond the building's core. The dome, previously inert, is animated through lighting effects to function as an urban marker, while projections on the east elevation synchronize the Center with events in the Cultural District. The reconfigured outdoor space abandons the utilitarian parking lot for a series of outdoor classrooms and demonstration gardens, populated by installations ranging from rockets to climate machines, designed to accommodate cross-generational programming with minimal spectacle.
2022
Midtown Detroit
Scale:
100,000 SF
Client:
The Detroit Cultural Center Association (DCCA)
Stakeholders:
Michigan Science Center
Principals:
Anya Sirota, Jean Louis Farges
Design Team:
Ian Donaldson