Works related to the expansion of the Silesian Planetarium in Chorzów are underway. The investment worth PLN 74.5 million net includes the modernization of the existing facilities and the construction of a new part of the building. The former planetarium will increase its area by over 3 thousand square meters. The construction site is working normally, despite the winter break – the modernization and expansion of the facility is nearly 50% advanced. The contractual deadline for the completion of construction works expires at the end of August 2021.
Currently, reinforced concrete works are underway at the new facility D and renovation works at the “old planetarium” facilities A, B and C. The building of the Silesian Planetarium was erected in the 50s of the twentieth century, currently entered into the register of monuments of the Silesian Voivodeship under the number A/399/13, remains under the protection of the Municipal Conservator of Monuments in Chorzów.
The facility consists of three parts for different purposes and a completely different structure. The main parts of the building that Budimex is currently modernising and adapting to the needs and requirements of the investor are the Planetarium, the Observatory and the auxiliary building. The existing and the newly designed part will be connected by a panoramic elevator, located at the western wall of the clock courtyard.
Expansion and modernization of the facility
– The scope of the project includes the expansion of the Planetarium, which requires interference in the structure of the existing building. The connection of the facilities is made by making underground corridors in the place of two expansion joints of the auxiliary building and making a basement in the outline of the courtyard of the auxiliary building, intended for exhibition purposes. – explains Mateusz Leżański, Contract Manager. The newly designed part of the Planetarium is largely below ground level and will be made in reinforced concrete technology. Foundations, walls, columns, ceilings will be made as monolithic reinforced concrete. A large part of the walls, columns and ceilings will be made in architectural concrete technology. Currently, Budimex is in the process of carrying out complex geotechnical works at the interface with the existing building and inside the basements, aimed at securing the existing foundations of historic buildings and securing excavations. The entire palisade of drilled piles will be fastened with ground anchors and steel ties. – During geotechnical works and excavations, the building of the Silesian Planetarium remains under our constant observation. We use a comprehensive monitoring system that includes m.in. measurement of displacements and vibration monitoring. Access to the measured parameters is provided through unique data visualization and reporting systems – explains Mateusz Leżański.
The new part of the facility will be connected to the existing underground corridors. In the future , the courtyard will become an exhibition hall, on the roof of which a sundial will be recreated. On the façade of the main building “A”, new dolomite slabs were installed, which, in accordance with the guidelines of the conservator of monuments, come from Libiąż. In the historic building of the Silesian Planetarium, the main projection room will also be modernized, which will be equipped with new seats, a screen, and sound and projection systems.
Next to the Planetarium, an observation tower will be built, from which you will be able to admire the panorama of Katowice, Siemianowice Śląskie and Chorzów. This building will be completed at a later stage, after the necessary underfloor installations have been completed, including a ground heat exchanger, transit ducts and a foundation slab. – The tower is a very complicated facility in terms of implementation, because it is closely related to the installation of an elevator with the Camera Obscura function (Latin for optical darkroom – the prototype of a photographic camera – editor’s note) – explains the Contract Manager.
Cubic volume (part A, B, C, D): 31718.27 m3
Usable area (part A, B, C,D): – 4958.18 m2
Total area (part A, B, C,D): 7084.98 m2
