HDR creates “machine-shed” children’s museum in Omaha

International structure and engineering firm HDR  has created an interactive museum and workshop for kids with a dynamic aluminium facade in Omaha, Nebraska.

The 83,000-square foot (7,710-square metre) Kiewit Luminarium was accomplished in downtown Omaha in April 2023.

Commissioned by Heritage Omaha, the museum was designed to supply “hands-on experiences in engineering and science for individuals of all ages” by means of reveals and workshops.

HDR, which is headquartered in Omaha, modeled the house after the Midwestern vernacular “machine-shed,” making a easy, performative container with the flexibility to accommodate a various vary of programming and reveals.

The easy rectangular type – that emerged from the grain of the road grid – was cut up lengthwise to create two linear bars that had been then offset barely. The western portion was elevated to create an all-glass floor ground that attracts in guests.

Every facade of the aluminium exterior is completely different, responding to the optimum shading wants of every orientation. To the west the place the field was elevated, the facade serves as “an illuminated canvas” with a protected pedestrian house underneath the cantilever.

The japanese bar anchors the museum to the bottom alongside the riverfront boardwalk, the place passersby can catch a glimpse of the interiors by means of glazing divided by vertical shading fins and museum visitors can see out the Missouri River and pedestrian bridge.

By means of the shaded glass of the southern facade, guests can see the geometric climbing construction within the newly constructed kids’s playground.

The doorway – situated on the southwestern nook – is flanked by the reward store and versatile classroom house, by means of which guests can see the primary exhibition house across the nook or proceed to the cafe that shares the entry plaza.

“As soon as inside, eyes are instantly drawn to the colorful, large-scale stellated icosahedron construction hanging overhead, one in every of a number of immersive reveals built-in with the structure,” stated HDR.

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The connection of the bars creates a big atrium-like gallery the place two flooring of exhibition house join visually.

“Exercise is in all places – children participating with reveals and taking part in within the geometry playground, households having fun with a meal within the cafe, and creators utilizing the maker house – seen by means of the open-concept design, which not solely creates thrilling power but in addition ensures the house can adapt and alter to a number of exhibit configurations and attainable future makes use of,” stated the studio.

The nice and cozy interiors had been designed to mission the concept that science might be “pleasant, acquainted and approachable” with interactive parts like custom-milled plywood partitions that act as a modular pegboard and technicolour lights that bounce off the shading system and uncovered chrome ducting.

Different tasks lately accomplished in Omaha embody a “weightless” pavilion addition to Nebraska’s largest museum by Snøhetta and the revitalisation of three parks – totaling 72 acres alongside the riverfront – by OJB, HDR and Gensler.

The images is by Dan Schwalm.

Undertaking credit:

Architect: HDR – Mike Hamilton, Tim Williams, Tyson Fiscus, John Dineer, Xin ZhaoEngineers: HDRExhibit design: ExploratoriumEnvelope design: AWSGeneral contractor: Kiewit Constructing GroupClient: Heritage Omaha