GeoDome

Birmingham-Southern College

Southern Environmental Center

In the early 1960’s Birmingham-Southern College built the innovative Meyer Planetarium, a modern, domed structure centered around a complex, analog light system that projected constellations onto its ceiling. The building, fondly remembered by generations of students who visited it, eventually fell into obsolescence until the Director of the College’s Southern Environmental Center chose to re-purpose the facility as the “GeoDome” a state-of-the-art IMAX theater with programming showcasing the dynamic, complex ecosystems throughout the state of Alabama. Equipped with a 4K projector, a robust audio system, and improved finishes that included re-purposing original seating, ArchitectureWorks was able to maximize the impact a relatively modest budget and turn an underutilized asset into a modern 46-seat interactive theatre designed to showcase Alabama’s natural wonders for future generations.