After years of neglect, Neumann/Smith was selected to renew and reinvent the Detroit Science Center as one of the finest exhibit spaces in the region.  Funded through a capital campaign, the expansion and renovation had a very tight budget.  Our design concept addressed damage as well as future maintenance issues while doubling the Center’s size – all for roughly one-third the dollars per square foot used to build most contemporary museums. 

 

Bold geometry, vibrant colors and industrial materials were utilized to create a unique yet cost-effective character within midtown Detroit’s cultural center.  A new 3-D planetarium located within a blue-glazed brick cylinder topped with a geodesic dome provides a strong visual identity.  Much of the addition was placed below grade which reduced construction costs while maintaining the important visual elements of the original structure.  Continuing the industrial imagery, the interiors are very direct, which also minimized costs. Structure is exposed as are mechanical and electrical systems, which allows great flexibility for changing exhibits. A new glass enclosed elevator and monumental stair rises through the new exhibit spaces to connect with the IMAX entrance lobby and the existing elevated exhibit hall, creating a unified vertical transportation spine that ties all public spaces together.

 

 

Click here for information about the "Mini-Mac" Exhibit