Case Study: Display at the Ocean Explorium

A Powerful Experience in Glowing Polycarbonate

Project: Ocean Explorium Blue Cube

Location: New Bedford, MA

Architect: Cosestudi LLC

System: Custom Display with LIGHTWALL 3440

Cosestudi, LLC had a very specific vision for the project they were designing for the New Bedford Seaport’s Ocean Explorium. This was to be an interactive exhibit intended to teach visitors about marine life and the importance of protecting our oceans. The architect wanted to create a dramatic representation of Earth from space. Their idea was to develop a cube that glowed blue, and suspended within the cube would be a sphere on which moving satellite images would be projected, replicating the view of Earth as seen from the darkness of space.

 

To achieve the optimal diffused, blue glow, Cosestudi, LLC utilized EXTECH’s LIGHTWALL 3440. The EXTECH team designed and built every detail of the steel structure. One of the key choices by the EXTECH team was to engineer structural members with minimal sightlines - this resulted in a lace-like quality and the reduction of prevalent shadows from structural membranes when the cube was lighted from within. EXTECH also designed the corner closures and flashings.

The 40mm blue translucent polycarbonate panels were installed in a horizontal configuration; mimicking the effect of the layers of water that cover the earth’s surface. The end result was a giant Blue Cube, 24 feet on each side that created an immersive experience for visitors when they stepped inside.

If you would like to find out more about this project or the LIGHTWALL 3440, we're more than happy to chat! Please contact us for more information.