Photo: Wits University
Wits University and Anglo American have partnered to transform the iconic dome of the 62-year-old Joburg Planetarium into a new, future-savvy, multidisciplinary research, training and science engagement events hub.
The new high-tech research facility is expected to help students solve some of society’s most pressing challenges, and contribute to Johannesburg’s ongoing regeneration as a smart city.
Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Vice Chancellor of Wits University and Fellow of the Royal Society (UK), said for many researchers across various fields, data is becoming more complex and multi-dimensional.
“A hub like the new Wits Anglo American Digital Dome will home in on a more intuitive and immersive understanding of big data – allowing students, researchers, and the public to visualise data in real time.”
Professor Roger Deane, Director of the Wits Centre for Astrophysics and the SKA Chair in Radio Astronomy at Wits said they are creating a better experience for those who love astronomy.
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“A facility like the new Wits Anglo American Digital Dome is a way of honing a more intuitive and immersive understanding of big data, where we will be able to visualise our work, whether it is in teaching anatomy to first-year medical students, visualising the myriad particle showers in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, exploring the first galaxies in the Universe, or testing new games, built by Wits’ gaming design students.”
Duncan Wanblad, Chief Executive of Anglo American, said supporting equitable access to education has been a priority for the company.
“As one of Africa’s leading Universities, Wits continues to play a vital role in providing access to education, not only to its students but the broader South African public too.”
“The new Wits Anglo American Digital Dome will be a truly world-class and accessible centre that will inspire generations to take an active interest in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines and the digital arts,” Wanblad said.
Together, Wits and Anglo American have provided R75 million to fund the first two stages of the three-stage project, with the Wits University Council committing R20 million and Anglo American providing R55 million.
The project will support the City of Johannesburg’s urban regeneration by preserving the building that will house the Digital Dome – which is the iconic green roof seen by thousands of motorists daily along Johannesburg’s major freeway, the M1 South.
During the first stage, the existing Planetarium will be refurbished and digitised with a new, state-of-the-art digital projection system, auditorium seating, and a Science and Technology Exploratorium.
The second stage sees a north wing expansion for a new suite of operational offices, an exhibition area, as well as a seminar room and meeting space for Digital Dome show planning and design.
In the third and final stage, which is yet to be funded, a new east wing research-focused building will house open-plan office space for visiting multidisciplinary research teams to interface with in-house data visualisation and Digital Dome show rendering experts.
It will include a creative studio, film and sound production facilities, to enable Wits to develop much of its science engagement digital content on site.
This stage will be integrated with the Wits Football Stadium, and will include a media viewing deck and rooftop event space.
Stage 1 and 2 of the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome, will be completed in 2023 and open to the public in 2024.
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