13.06.2022

Completion of the expansion of the Silesian Planetarium in Chorzów

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Budimex has completed works related to the expansion of the Silesian Planetarium in Chorzów. As part of the investment worth about PLN 80 million, the largest Polish general contractor modernized the existing facilities and built a new part of the building. The former planetarium has expanded its area by over 3,200 square meters.

Budimex, commissioned by the Marshal’s Office of the Silesian Voivodeship, modernised the Silesian Planetarium in Chorzów and adapted the facility to the latest technical and utility standards. The scope of work, based on the contract of March 27, 2019 It included the modernization of the existing building, as well as the creation of a new underground usable area and an observation tower with the “camera obscura” device used inside (Latin for optical darkroom – the prototype of a photographic camera). Construction works as part of the investment lasted 34 months.

The facility with a total area of 7,084 m2 has been enlarged by 3,200 m2 of usable area. Four parts of the facility for different purposes and completely different structures were modernized: the Planetarium, the Observatory, the auxiliary building and the small observatory (parts A, B, C, and F). The former and newly created parts of the planetarium (parts D and E) were connected by a panoramic elevator, located at the western wall of the clock courtyard. A significant area of the newly created part of the facility is below ground level and was made in reinforced concrete technology.

The added part of the building was connected to the existing underground corridors, and the former courtyard of the Planetarium was transformed into a new exhibition hall, on the roof of which there is a reconstructed sundial. – The facilities were connected by creating underground corridors, in place of two expansion joints of the auxiliary building. In the outline of the courtyard of the auxiliary building, we have also made a basement, which will be intended for exhibition purposes. All works were carried out under the supervision of the conservator of monuments – says Andrzej Schmalenberg, Director of the General Construction Branch South of Budimex SA.

As part of the construction works, Budimex secured the existing foundations of historic buildings and excavations. This required complex geotechnical works at the interface with the existing building and inside the basements. During the works, the building remained under constant observation through a comprehensive monitoring system that includes m.in. measurement of displacements and vibration monitoring.

In the façade of the main building “A”, new dolomite slabs were installed, which, in accordance with the recommendation of the conservator of monuments, were delivered from Libiąż. In addition, an observation tower was built next to the Planetarium, from which you can admire the panorama of Katowice, Siemianowice Śląskie and Chorzów.

– The construction of the tower was a big challenge in terms of the complexity of the implementation, because its construction was directly related to the installation of an elevator with the “camera obscura” function. In addition, in the historic building of the Silesian Planetarium, we have modernized the main projection  room with a panorama of Silesia surrounding the hall –  adds Andrzej Schmalenberg.

The building of the Silesian Planetarium was erected in the 50s of the twentieth century, is currently entered into the register of monuments of the Silesian Voivodeship under the number A/399/13 and remains under the protection of the Municipal Conservator of Monuments in Chorzów.

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