Adler Planetarium Dome

Designer

Hutchinson Design Group
Barrington, Illinois

Architect

Wight & Company
Chicago, Illinois

Construction Manager/Owner’s Representative

Troop Contracting
Willowbrook, Illinois

Sheet Metal Contractor

Progressive Dynamics
Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Scaffolding

Gilco Scaffold
Des Plaines, Illinois

Scaffolding

M & E Construction
Elk Grove Village, Illinois

The Adler Planetarium, located on Northerly Island on Lake Michigan in the Chicago Museum District, was the first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere and is a national historical landmark.

After 70 years, the Planetarium’s dome reached the end of its service life. Moisture intrusion was apparent near weak points in the design such as the base of the dome, internal gutters and drains. To maintain the historical accuracy of the structure, the design team restored the dome using copper, one of the most durable, long-lasting roofing materials.

The renovated copper clad dome is composed of an internal gutter and base copper,16 rows of shop-fabricated copper panels, topped by a dome cap. Each of the lower dome panel locks are covered with a decorative horizontal rib giving the dome an aesthetic visual lightness.