Dome

Detail, seafront facade, open horseshoe shape; An agglomeration of six public research centres located alongside the Hospital del Mar de Barcelona, with ocean frontage. Each centre works independently in its own field and a management group, the PRBB Consortium, is responsible for managing the building and facilities; it is one of the largest buildings in Barcelona, with over 1,100 employees. The elliptical and conical shape of the building, the exterior façade of which does not reach the ground, reinforces the sensation of a floating structure. The visible part of the building, with its façade of wood and glass, is suspended above the ground. The structure is supported by 110 metal clamps on the deck. Only 40% of the structure is supported by traditional concrete cores. In the courtyard, at first floor level, is the auditorium, a structure containing 150 tons of steel and equipped with 250 seats. Mirror-like, the roof of the auditorium is covered by a sheet of water filling the central space with light and movement. The building is arranged in a horseshoe shape around the central courtyard. The wooden façade constructed of red cedar controls the sunlight and streamlines the structure. Source: Wikipedia; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (accessed 5/10/2013)