Royal Observatory Greenwich
The National Maritime Museum represents an ensemble of important historic buildings set within an iconic landscape, the whole comprising the Greenwich World Heritage Site. The project for the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park encompasses the restoration and upgrading of the South Building, a new planetarium and the redesign of the landscaping and visitor route through the museum. This exciting new development responds to the diverse demands of planetarium audiences, education groups and site visitors whilst opening up the south half of the Royal Observatory site.
Description of the scheme
The National Maritime Museum represents an ensemble of important historic buildings set within an iconic landscape, the whole comprising the Greenwich World Heritage Site. The project for the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park encompasses the restoration and upgrading of the South Building, a new planetarium and the redesign of the landscaping and visitor route through the museum. This exciting new development responds to the diverse demands of planetarium audiences, education groups and site visitors whilst opening up the south half of the Royal Observatory site.
Past and future of astronomy at Greenwich
Historically, astronomy at Greenwich was related to accurate mapping of the positions of the stars. The pursuit of precision timekeeping led, in 884, to the universal acceptance of the meridian line at Greenwich as Longitude Zero and the recognition of Greenwich Mean Time. The story of precision timekeeping for navigation is told in the northern half of the Observatory. The focus of the new project is to bring this story up to date on the southern part of the site. Modern astronomy now concentrates on the composition of the stars and our place in the universe, the what rather than the where. Since 998 the Museum has held the remit of contributing to the public understanding of astronomy - the reshaping of the South Building and the new planetarium will play a key part in this.
Courts in the Park
In recent years the south half of the Royal Observatory site was cut off from the busy north half and had became a backwater. The two 890s observatory buildings were falling out of use and the tiny planetarium was too small for the scope of the ROGs education programme. The unity of the site has now been re-established by taking the visitor route through the whole site from north to south and siting all new visitor facilities such as the shop, café at the south end of this route. The new stone-paved public court creates a formal setting for the buildings on the south half of the site. The slope of the paving enables level public access right into the South Building. Surrounded by the trees of Greenwich Park, the new court feels like a clearing in the woods. Newly paved spaces at the lower level create courts for outdoor events and café tables overlooking the Park. The new landscaping creates an enjoyable public realm for visitors to the Observatory.
New planetarium
A new 8-seat planetarium has been inserted in the centre of the site. Access to the auditorium is at lower ground level through a spacious new foyer. The Peter Harrison Planetarium is housed in a cone whose geometry reflects key astronomical concepts in its relation to the space. Above ground this is manifested as a tilted bronze cone aligned with the North Star at 5.5degrees. The disc cut at 90deg through its apex is parallel to the celestial equator. This plane is clad in layers of reflecting glass in which the passing sky is revealed as a momentary glimpse into space. The cone is constructed from 250mm concrete to keep out sound, which is clad in an 8mm thick phosphor bronze carapace. The metalwork was prefabricated in Gateshead then brought to site in 8 segments, where the panels were craned into place and site welded to achieve the exact conic geometry of an astronomical instrument. The final bronze finish has been achieved by 5 layers of patination, a technique usually applied to bronze sculptures which will get richer over time. The swirling patterns created by the patination echo the images of nebulae seen in the planetarium shows within. The installation of the first digital planetarium projector in Europe has opened the possibility of shows which take the audiences out into space looking back at out earth. It also enables the inclusion of up to the minute images sent back by space probes, which the astronomer presenters can easily incorporate into their shows. This powerful potential adds significantly to the purpose of this project.
The South Building
The South Building, built in stages from 89 to 899, was originally used as an observatory for the study of astrophysics. The cruciform building is surmounted by a dome which formerly housed the Thompson Equatorial telescope, but in recent years had been used as a small planetarium. Although the Grade II* listed South Building looks substantially original, the outside of the building has been extensively refurbished, reroofed, and its distinctive terracotta tiling repaired. The key to reusing the cramped interior of the South Building was discovered in the removal of the central masonry core which was built originally to give stable support to the telescope. Instead, a spectacular helical metal staircase has been inserted at the heart of the building which brings together all levels of the building. Internally all spaces have been opened up to accommodate four new galleries exploring modern astronomy, a new education centre on the upper floors which includes an impressive new seminar room within the dome, and visitor facilities including a shop and ground floor on the lower ground floor. The simple detailing of the original interiors has been continued in the vocabulary of the new modern insertions.
Altazimuth Pavillon
This second original observatory on the site has been refurbished and its dome overhauled to open, so it can continue to function as a working observatory for small groups. A solarscope has been mounted internally for daytime observation of the sun, with a working telescope for nightime viewing. This establishes a living link with historic astronomy, reinforced by displays on the enlarged ground floor.
Hidden axes of the site
The Royal Observatory site is defined by two divergent axial lines the historic axis of the Park which runs through the Queens House and the N-S meridian line. Both defined the site layout of the scheme. The Park axis, now picked up by Blackheath Avenue, defines the east side of the Royal Observatory site. The entrance gateways open off this and deflect to its geometry making generous forecourts to each entry points. The north-south alignment is primary for all the scientific observatory buildings on the site. The new planetarium also responds to this and is located almost exactly between the historic meridian and the new GPS location. Most importantly the viewing slot up the south edge is exactly aligned with the pole star. These geometric observances underline the fusion of historic astronomy with the frontiers of modern space research behind this project. The design has sought to find a resonance between them which enables the visitor to intuit our place in the universe through their experience of the cone and the site, whilst also trying to comprehend concepts beyond direct experience in the spectacular imagery now being sent to us from outer space. To parallel this leap in understanding between the old and the new is perhaps the most critical contribution of this new project in such a historic place.