Liberation Museum will be given the shape of a huge parachute

The National Liberation Museum 1944-1945 in Groesbeek in the Netherlands will be housed in a completely new building: modern and larger. The current age and state of the museum, together with the increasing interest in the museum make this necessary. Supplier Shaded Dome Technologies has been commissioned by the museum to deliver a Shaded Dome in which the new museum will be housed. The Shaded Dome is a patented, sustainable dome in which an optimal climate is created, even in extreme weather conditions.

Director of the museum Wiel Lenders: "We chose the Shaded Dome because of its flexibility, durability and the resemblance with the many thousands of parachutes that landed here in 1944 during Operation Market Garden."

With the Shaded Dome, the museum becomes a real eye-catcher and a landmark in the green, hilly landscape surrounding the town of Groesbeek. The dome will have a large free span of 60 metres and will accommodate a reception room, cinema, museum café, rooms for exhibitions and a museum shop.

The new museum will open in 2019 when the activities will commence to commemorate the beginning of Operation Market Garden. The liberation museum is located in the heart of the area where Operation Market Garden and the Rhineland Offensive took place.

About the Shaded Dome

The Shaded Dome was originally developed as a fully climate-controlled sports facility in warm, dry regions with demanding climatological conditions. Due to its large span, the concept can also be applied for exhibitions, sporting events and concerts. Subsequently, the Shaded Dome was further developed for use in regions with milder outdoor climate at higher latitudes and for buildings with demanding indoor climates, such as museums, where temperature and air humidity may only vary to a minimum. The lightweight construction of the Shaded Dome has structural features equal to traditional structures with a high mass. Currently, research is ongoing to investigate if the Shaded Dome is also suitable as a shelter for soldiers in warm regions.

The Shaded Dome is an innovation by ZJA Zwarts & Jansma Architects, Royal HaskoningDHV and Poly-Ned.