The ASRC IlluminationSpace, located at the Advanced Science Research Center of The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, is designed for students to explore five exciting and interconnected areas of science—nanoscience, photonics, structural biology, neuroscience, and environmental sciences.
The exploration happens in a fun and supportive environment to encourage a deeper understanding of how science shapes our everyday lives.
Through interactive motion and touchscreen games—and engaging conversations with researchers—visitors learn about the ASRC’s initiatives, inspiring them to search for science in the world around them.
Chicago Scenic Studios was responsible for fabrication of all the custom exhibit elements and for the audio, video, lighting, graphics and acoustical panels— working in collaboration with designers at Liberty Science Center (LSC) and Flad Architecture, with interactive displays from Unified Field. Chicago Scenic worked with LSC to maintain the design intent of the project and create a durable, sustainable product.
The 800 sq. ft. space was one of the biggest challenges, because it needed to accommodate five discipline-specific interactives, along with a large interactive projection wall, combining the five distinct but interconnected disciplines.
Chicago Scenic also managed all project scheduling between the general contractor and our subcontractors, which was critical to the project’s overall success, especially because the multiple layers required precise timing for install.
Unlike standard science buildings with floors dedicated to biology, chemistry, and physics. The ASRC is conceived to break down some of the traditional walls in science and foster a collaborative culture among researchers in five distinct but increasingly interconnected disciplines. The researchers in each of the five initiatives at the ASRC embrace this concept.
Client: D.A.S.N.Y. (Dormitory Authority of the State of New York), TEAM: Flad Architecture (architecture), Liberty Science Center & Peter Hyde Design (design), Available Light (lighting design), Unified Field (interactive design), Dimensional Worldwide (audio/visual), 4 Wall (lighting). Chicago Scenic (scenic fabrication, interactive fabrication, installation, project management)
