NADIA LLOYD-LISTER

Abstract

 

The Square Kilometre Array is widely regarded as the world’s greatest radio astronomy experiment and South Africa has been selected as the preferred site to host this global project. Not only is this a great achievement for Africa but for astronomy as a whole. South Africa has a rich history in astronomy dating back to 1961 when the first radio telescope in Africa was built in Hartebeesthoek by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during their lunar missions. The night sky has brought meaning to all cultures since the beginning of time. Theories and beliefs have historical connections to the stars and planets all concerning themselves with the understanding of where we came from and where we are going. The time for forward thinking is now; as society we can no longer only believe in that which we can prove but must endeavour to pave the way for new thoughts and theories to enable further scientific breakthroughs and discoveries to materialise. By 2024 the SKA will allow scientists and astronomers to study celestial objects with a hundred times more sensitivity than any other radio telescope in the world. Discoveries are on our doorstep, right here in Africa and a stage needs to be set to showcase the findings to the world. A radio astronomy visitor’s centre will be located between the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) and the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), in the World Heritage Site, which is accessible to Pretoria, Johannesburg and surrounding areas. The architecture will need to make way for the inevitability of new findings with flexible and various spaces. The concept ‘∞’ drives the design with a predetermined notion that our universe is infinite. The methodology supports the building typology on a learning experience. The five stages of understanding will assist the journey through the building, in a way to slowly allow the mind to open to new ideas and alternative theories.

 

 

Outline brief

 

This mini-thesis presents the design of a Radio Astronomy Visitors Centre just off the R400 in Hartebeesthoek. It lies in a valley between Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory and the South African National Space Agency in order for it to not disturb their telescope’s view of the horizon. The Centre responds to the following issues; the need for Radio Astronomy awareness, architecture as a journey applying circulation and space, as well as the designing and building of landscrapers.    

Radio astronomy is one of the oldest sciences. It concerns itself with celestial objects and their evolution, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and motion. Radio astronomy works by aiming towards a celestial object and receiving the radio waves it gives off. The range of wavelengths observable by radio telescopes varies from one millimetre to thirty metres. Any object with a temperature a few degrees above zero gives off radio waves. These radio waves are reflected via parabolic dish onto the receiver, it then travels as voltage and gets converted to graphic images in the control room. (NRF, What is radio astronomy)