Naturgewalten Sylt | Redesign

Spanning 1,500 square meters, the Naturgewalten Sylt Experience Center introduces visitors of all ages to the diverse habitat of the Wadden Sea. It showcases the diversity, beauty, and dynamism of the oceans and coasts, the formation and history of Sylt, as well as the forces of nature that shape the island.

The expansion and redesign of the 300-square-meter “Forces of the North Sea” exhibition area presented a logistical challenge: First, the existing exhibition had to be dismantled to make room for a full-dome cinema, the “Sylt-Dome.” After the cylindrical cinema hall was built, the exhibition was reinstalled in a completely revamped form. Together with ntk, 235 Media gave the exhibition area a contemporary look and brought it up to the latest technical standards.

The focus is on two forces—waves and wind—that constantly affect the island. These natural phenomena are vividly explained in the exhibition, which features many interactive elements. One of the central media installations is the 10-meter-long interactive wind-wave channel, which demonstrates the relationship between wind speeds and wave heights. Six high-resolution 75-inch monitors mounted behind the channel realistically visualize various weather conditions and atmospheres, while the corresponding wind speeds are displayed on the wall above via gobo projections. Visitors can control the wind and wave conditions from a control panel.

With the construction of the 360° cinema, the “Sylt Dome,” the Naturgewalten Sylt Experience Center gains another highlight. ntk and 235 Media, in cooperation with the U.S. company Evans & Sutherland, were responsible for the interior design, media technology, room acoustics, and lighting design, as well as the planning of the ventilation system (in collaboration with the engineering firm Pahl und Jacobsen from Heide). Germany’s northernmost cinema has a diameter of 10 meters and seats 45 visitors. It also features 2 seats for wheelchair users. Using five projectors and a spatial sound system equipped with 31 speakers and four subwoofers, the Sylt-Dome delivers immersive, three-dimensional cinematic experiences. In addition to the film for “Kräfte der Nordsee” (Powers of the North Sea)—which we initiated and was produced specifically by TVN, Hamburg—the cinema is also used outside of opening hours as a full-dome cinema and event venue.

Partners:

nowakteufelknyrim | design & exhibition architecture, Düsseldorf

Evans & Sutherland, Salt Lake City, USA