Case Study - Klimahaus® 8° Ost in Bremerhaven

Comprehensive integrated technology for Bremerhaven's Klimahaus® 8° East (2009)

The project:  A striking and innovative exhibition space, the Klimahaus® 8° East (climate house) is part of the "Havenwelten" complex in the northern German port of Bremerhaven. Like the German Emigration Center nearby, it has been fully equipped with system technology by ASC. The building's exterior is a transparent shell clad with 4,700 panes of curved glass enclosing 11,500m² of exhibition space. Visually it evokes a huge cloud or a larger than life drop of water. It is a design that fits perfectly into the architectural language of the surrounding Neuer Hafen (new port) area and its hotel development. Once inside the Klimahaus, visitors are captivated by a wealth of interactive scientific displays about the climate, climate change and climate zones that take them on an informative journey into the future, focusing on topics such as travel, the elements, climate forecasting and our options. Exhibits document the influence of global warming on the living conditions of people and animals along the 8 degrees East meridian, which runs through Bremerhaven, presenting information and approaches to solving the problems related to global warming.

The challenge: The Hamburg-based Amptown System Company devised and installed comprehensive audio, lighting, video, media and control equipment for the Klimahaus science and adventure centre. The right technology is a basic requirement for enabling the unusual scenarios and exhibits in the Klimahaus to be brought to life, giving visitors access to authentic scientific knowledge. In addition, ASC installed network and electronics infrastructure and supplied and installed the whole administrative, office communications, telephone and monitoring system for the centre's operating company, the Klimahaus Betriebsgesellschaft mbH.

The solution: In the Klimahaus® 8° East, the science-based tourist attraction specialists, Petri & Tiemann GmbH, and the Kunstraum GfK planning team from Hamburg have created a realistic simulation that uses stage technology and theatrical backdrops to give visitors a spectacular and unique experience. ASC established media systems centres at 21 locations throughout the building and housed heat-emitting components and power distribution in plant rooms well away from the visitor areas. A comprehensive range of loudspeakers, power amplifiers, audio and video players, monitors, projectors and projection screens was installed in the building. Because the displays encompass such a wide variety of scenarios, the technical configuration had to be individually evaluated in advance and precisely positioned. A Medialon Manager acts as a central control unit, linking numerous interfaces and mechanisms all over the extensive building and perfectly coordinating both the individual sequences of audio, video and light impulses and their interplay in multimedia presentations. The Medialon Manager calls up rain, storms, darkness and lightning, either following preset schedules or according to programmed sequences. It also plays a pivotal role in maintaining the multitude of technical equipment, providing central monitoring of such aspects as service life and malfunctions.