"Mitoseum" Entrance Structure in Kleinwelka Dinosaur Park, Germany
Customer Project
The entrance structure to Kleinwelka Dinosaur Park near Bautzen, Germany has a total height of 72 ft and resembles mitosis. Mitosis is a type of cell division and the origin of life. The bionic structure consists of 1,389 steel tube members assembled together at 269 joints.
Client |
Beteiligungs- und Betriebsgesellschaft Bautzen mbH, Bautzen www.bb-bautzen.de |
Architect |
rimpf Architektur, Hamburg www.rimpf.de |
Structural Analysis |
zapf & co. – structural engineering GmbH, Strausberg www.zapf-co.de Ingenieurbüro für Struktur + Festigkeit Conrad Hansen, Kiel www.sf-ingenieure.de |
General Contractor |
Velabran GmbH, Munich velabran.com |
Model
A total of 92.6 tons of steel were used for the project. The translucent roof, with an overall surface area around 24,757 ft², consists of 463 ETFE foil cushions.
In addition to the entrance area, a souvenir shop, restrooms, and adventure area, as well as a gallery, are available in the building. Visitors will also notice a colossal Spinosaurus welcoming them at the main entrance.
Stahlbau Hahner GmbH in Petersberg and rimpf Architektur in Hamburg received an award for the structure at "Deutscher Verzinkerpreis 2017" (3rd place, Architecture). The engineers of zapf & co. from Strausberg were responsible for the structural analysis of the steel structure, as well as the foil cushions. The spatial structure was analyzed in RSTAB and the cushions in Easy.
The "Mitoseum" is a spectacular yet eco-friendly lightweight steel and membrane construction.
Project Location
Write Comment...
Write Comment...
Contact Us
Do you have further questions or need advice? Contact us via phone, email, chat, or forum, or search the FAQ page, available 24/7.

New
CSA S16:19 Stability Considerations and the New Annex O.2
The CSA S16:19 Stability Effects in Elastic Analysis method in Annex O.2 is an alternative option to the Simplified Stability Analysis Method in Clause 8.4.3. This article will describe the requirements of Annex O.2 and application in RFEM 6.
- The load distribution on my members looks different when using the Load Transfer surface vs. the Load Wizards. What is the reason?
- My beam has a continuous lateral support and therefore lateral torsional buckling (LTB) is not a concern. How do I define the effective length?
- I received an error message “Surface of incompatible type... (Surface in upper plane of building story must be of ‘Load transfer’ type)” when running the calculation. What is the reason?
Programs Used for Structural Analysis