As we continue to congregate in increasingly urban, built-up, and densely populated areas, looking up at the sky has almost become a forgotten luxury. (When’s the last time you watched the sun set?) Bright city lights and pollution make it nearly impossible to see any sort of cosmic matter with the naked eye. To prevent the “big dipper” from becoming something we’ve only read about, a sort of mythical constellation, it is essential to take back our environmental awareness, and, perhaps, the pastime of stargazing — and you don’t have to leave the comforts of your big city to do it. Recently, Cardin Ramirez Julien + Ædifica teamed up to design Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium in Montréal, Canada’s second largest city. The site creates a trifecta of well-connected (physically and visually) cultural establishments — the Biodome, Olympic Stadium, and planetarium. Functionality and use rely heavily on the visitors and their desire to connect the experience of stargazing with the act of being in nature as a whole, ultimately creating a public space that serves as an escape within the city that patrons can call their own. Of course, this isn’t the only celestial viewing spot implanted into an urban space …
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