Kiewit Luminarium | Omaha, Nebraska | 2023

Architects: HDR, Inc.
Design Team: Mike Hamilton, Tim Williams, and Tyson Fiscus
General Contractor: Kiewit Building Group Inc.
Client: Heritage Omaha
Photographers: Photo by Dan Schwalm

The Kiewit Luminarium is an 83,000 square foot learning environment that is part workshop and part  museum. It offers hands-on experiences in engineering and science for people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities, allowing them to explore phenomena at the intersection of science, art, and the human experience.

The building has been designed as a versatile container to accommodate a diverse range of programming and exhibits. Like the Midwestern vernacular “machine-shed,” the container remains simple, honest, and performative. The building’s form is split lengthwise. The western bar is elevated, offering a sheltered pedestrian space below for school buses and large groups, and acting as a billboard towards the downtown.

The southern façade utilizes shaded glass to showcase a geometric climbing structure and visually connect with the adjacent children's playground. To the east, vertical sunshades are strategically placed to protect against harsh early sun exposure while preserving views of the Missouri River and its iconic pedestrian bridge.

Upon entry, visitors are greeted by a captivating, stellated icosahedron overhead, one of several immersive exhibits seamlessly integrated into the architecture. Glass walls provide glimpses into flexible classrooms, a field trip room, and a gift shop, guiding visitors into the main exhibition area where activity flourishes within the open-concept design. To promote interest in the science of materials, a key design idea was to try to use purely natural materials.

The exterior skin of the building is a marine-grade aluminum alloy that will patina with time. It speaks to the natural process of oxidation and references agricultural buildings in the region. The interior space's atmosphere is designed to be inviting and approachable, with custom-milled plywood walls signaling durability and functionality while showcasing the natural wood finish. Walls and surfaces are not precious but meant to be used.

The challenging site conditions restricted building orientation, necessitating careful consideration of façade design to meet mechanical and daylighting performance goals. Daylighting simulations played a crucial role in shaping key architectural decisions, leading to the implementation of a double-skin sawtooth panel envelope system. With a window-to-wall ratio below 30%, mechanical load requirements were kept low. To manage solar exposure on glazing, perforated external shading fins, resembling a rotated version of the primary façade's sawtooth metal panels, were utilized.

A photovoltaic array covers the roof to maximize on-site renewable power generation, making up more than 10% of the building’s overall energy usage. Through thoughtful design and innovative solutions, the Kiewit Luminarium aims to ignite curiosity and foster learning in all who visit.