The American Museum of Natural History, Rose Center for Earth and Space

New York, NY, USA

Photo © Jeff Goldberg / ESTO

Visualization © Ennead Architects

Photo © Jeff Goldberg/ESTO

Photo © Richard Barnes/ESTO

Photo © Aislinn Weidele/Ennead Architects

Photo © Richard Barnes/ESTO

Architects: ennead architects

Year: 2000

The Rose Center for Earth and Space redefines the identity of this venerable cultural and academic institution for the 21st century while respecting the historic architecture of the designated landmark. Along with the Arthur Ross Terrace, the Weston Pavilion and the renovated Theodore Roosevelt Park, The Rose Center completes the Museum’s north side. The iconic sphere, housed within a glass cube, contains the state-of-the art Hayden Planetarium and “Big Bang” theater, whose program describes the origins of the universe. The building itself is designed as a learning tool, as a visible expression of the science it contains. Its extraordinary curtain wall, structural system and lighting, its use of materials and color, its open planning and single, striking volumetric expression all reveal to the visitor an iconic example of building technology and science that makes this new building a worthy complement to the existing museum and an effective expression of the institution’s scientific and educational mission.