21 September 2005

Dome's day to shine

21 September 2005 | Kerces

The ACT Academy of Science, variously known as the Shine Dome and the UFO among other things, is one of 19 new additions to the National Heriatage List, Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell announced today.

Senator Campbell called the 46-year-old dome “a great example of the more adventurous architectural feats of the twentieth century”. It is one of four twentieth-century buildings to be listed together.

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midnitecalla10:29 pm 25 Nov 05

legend has it that the concept was very sound, as it was supposed to keep the inside cool by spraying a continual film of water over the copper panels thus creating an evaporative effect.

It apparently was TOO efficient! as ice was reported to form on the windows in the heat of the first and second summers.

apparently the systems are still in place and in working order but hard to regulate the temp and the pumps are too greedy in power usage. was more appropriate to install wall/split systems as they were released on to the market.
quieter to use

ssanta4:05 pm 21 Sep 05

Cabbies called it ‘Martian Embassy’. Should have just said Beam me home you wierdo.

OpenYourMind2:00 pm 21 Sep 05

Back in the days when Canberra Cabs just used voice, the slang term for the Academy of Science was the ‘Martian Embassy’.

Mr Evil1:24 pm 21 Sep 05

I think it’s amazing that the dome is 46 years old! I can imagine that trying to convine the planners back then that it was a great idea to build it here would have been an uphill battle.

ssanta12:59 pm 21 Sep 05

Any other places that deserve heritage listing in ACT? I used to think that burnie courts should have been a goer.

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