11 11 Science World Telus World of Science Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 1986 Model of the Universe Johannes Kepler 1619 In the 20th century, it became possible for the first time to radially extend mental images onto the dome screen using projections of light. Everyone stands under his own dome of heaven Anselm Kiefer 1970 Total Environment Learning Lab Roger Ferragallo Oakland, California, USA 1967 Flammarion An anonymous woodcut depicting a pilgrim looking beyond the firmament to see the inner workings of the universe. Date Unknown Yggdrasil The ‘World Tree’ of Norse Cosmology Dream Temple Mariko Mori Milan, Italy 1999 Movie-Drome Stan Vanderbeek Stony Point, New York, USA 1965 Pepsi Pavilion Experiments in Art and Technology Osaka, Japan 1970 The Vortex Experiments Henry Jacobs & Jordan Belson San Francisco, California, USA 1957-59 Rose Center for Earth and Space New York, New York, USA 2000 La Géode Paris, France 1985 Bok Globule Carter Emmart & Leo Villareal Black Rock City, Nevada, USA 2004 Three-Story Universe Common to numerous cosmologies worldwide Rainforest Dome Nate Pagel / Obscura Digital San Francisco, California, USA 2005 Sonic Vision Rose Center for Earth and Space Animation based on paintings by Alex Grey 2004 Innovations in architecture, large format cinema, and computer graphics enabled the development of elaborate domed theaters for art installations, educational environments, and entertainment spectacles. As they are transformed into networked, multi- user virtual environments, what will immersive dome displays reveal about the evolution of worldviews in the 21st century? In the latter half of the 20th century, numerous artists, engineers, and educators experimented with domed environments to explore the possibilities of mediated sensory immersion. T HE C OSMOLOGICAL C INEMA Metaphor, Symbolism & Immersion Cupola Jeffrey Shaw Lille, France 2004 Celestial Mechanics D. Scott Hessels & Gabriel Dunne Los Angeles, California, USA 2005 The perceived shape of the celestial screen has influenced the evolution of mental maps around the world, revealed by numerous artistic, religious, and scientific artifacts and beliefs. From Buddhist stupas to Islamic mosques to Christian cathedrals, these structures have been used as places of ritual, indoctrination, and transcendence. Dome of the Rock East Jerusalem, Israel 691 Boudhanath Stupa Kathmandu, Nepal 5th century Basilica di San Pietro Vatican City 1626 Abakh Hoja Tomb Cashi, China ca. 1640 Hagia Sophia Istanbul, Turkey 537 Assumption of the Virgin Antonio Allegri da Correggio Cathedral of Parma, Italy 1530 San Lorenzo Dome Guarino Guarini Turin, Italy 1687 The Apotheosis of Washington Constantino Brumidi United States Capitol Building Washington D.C., USA 1865 Camera degli Sposi Andrea Mantegna Mantua, Italy 1474 Sultan Faraj ibn Barquq Mausoleum Cairo, Egypt 1411 The rounded enclosures have often been used as canvases upon which to represent psycho- cosmological constructs, with both internal and external surfaces often steeped in visually and geometrically symbolic meaning. Cultures from around the world have long turned to the dome of the heavens to better understand the cosmos. Angkor Wat Angkor, Cambodia 12th century Stonehenge Amesbury, England ca. 2500-2000 BCE Nebra Stardisk Nebra, Germany ca. 1600 BCE La Piedra del Sol Aztec Calendar Stone ca. 15th century Experience Theater Morton Heilig New York, New York, USA 1966 1 3 4 5 7 8 9 Sanchi Stupa Sanchi, India 3rd Century BCE Newgrange Passage Tomb Newgrange, Ireland ca. 3200 BCE Mycenaean Tholos Tomb Mycenae, Greece ca. 1250 BCE Peyote Sweat Lodge Cheyenne Nation Origin date unknown 2 As this perceived curvature has manifested architecturally throughout the world, domed structures have been used to enclose the most sacred environments of many cultures. Mnemosynic Research: David McConville <[email protected]> West Asheville, North Carolina, USA Affiliations: Planetary Collegium <PhD Candidate/CAiiA-Hub> e Elumenati <Director of Noospheric Research> Rosicrucian Planetarium San Jose, California, USA 1936 Zeiss Planetarium Jena, Germany 1923 Adler Planetarium Chicago, Illinois, USA 1930 Hayden Planetarium New York, New York, USA 1935 Theatre of Time and Space New York World’s Fair New York, New York, USA 1939 6