The 31 acre park - described as a place where visitors learn about health, life and the environment "whilst having fun" is laid out in concentric circles, a design by Frédéric Jung meant to evoke the shockwaves caused by the impact of the Ensisheim meteorite, which struck nearby in 1492.
In 2006, designers and manufacturers of high performance portable buildings, Tectoniks, were commissioned by Le Bioscope to create a permanent installation at the Park to house an audio visual show presenting the science of sleep and dreams. In 2010, Le Bioscope decided it was time to update this award-winning structure and commissioned Tectoniks, who in turn worked with Litestructures, to realise their vision.
The Sleep and Dreams Pavilion is an innovative building; an inflatable structure that is one of a kind. It consists of an inflatable dome made of a specialist fabric. The brief was to supply a series of curved aluminium truss sections that will support the fabric dome in the event of a prolonged power-cut lasting several hours. Le Bioscope is situated in a remote area in the Alsace, and harsh weather conditions often cause local power-cuts to occur.
The framework would also allow the luxury of de-rigging the building without the need to empty it of the internal furniture. Structural calculations were a major aspect of this project as the truss frame had to be potentially load-bearing and there will be large numbers of theme park visitors walking directly beneath it.
Litestructures designed a LitePro 290 three-chord curved trussing framework, specifying this particular truss due to its suitability where long spans and high load capacities are a requirement. For aesthetic reasons, and to prevent marking of the fabric dome, the truss was powder coated white.
The pavilion has much greater rigidity than conventional inflatable structures, and its new structure has provided additional safety assurance. Litestructures sent an installation team to the site in France and, over a two-day period in December, the team got the structure up and made sure everything was fully tested and safe in plenty of time for the park's Spring reopening.
Tectoniks director Rob Greene commented, "Litestructures fitted the frames under difficult conditions and within the tight deadline. They also assisted with our installation when requested. The frames looked great when they were installed. I really appreciated the additional effort the team put in and I will certainly be looking to work with them again in the future."
(Jim Evans)
