16.02.2021

From February 6th to 7th, a combination of heavy snowfall and wind caused the roof of the Freedom Museum in Groesbeek, which consists of a Shaded Dome, to locally sag above the entrance hall under the weight of snow. The strong easterly wind caused drifting snow to accumulate mostly in this region on the roof. At first the view was disturbing, but a week later the museum's inflated dome has been fully restored to its original form. The characteristic parachute shape is back and there has been no damage to the collection while damage to the dome has been very limited.

Roof structure back into shape after heavy snowfall

In addition to experts from Poly-Ned, part of Shaded Dome Technologies, the Fire Department of Berg en Dal, the companies Van Kesteren and Bakker, as well as Megens Installations and Nikkelen Electrotechniek B.V. immediately did everything possible to get the inflated dome back into shape and to protect the precious collection of the Freedom Museum. After the snow was partly removed from the roof, the air pressure was gradually increased again, and the dome was slowly resurrected, regaining its original shape. The roof construction proved to be able withstand the enormous snow load.

Air pressure supported dome

The Freedom Museum is the first building with a Shaded Dome as a roof construction. The Shaded Dome consists of an inflated dome, a network of steel cables and a cover made of hi-tech textile. The inflatable hall is completely supported by air pressure. The dome is equipped with a detection system that increases the pressure in the room preventively during storms and/or snowfall. A snow hose system prevents snow from accumulating on the canopy. The dome is designed for heavy snowfall and strong winds and can withstand these weather conditions. Further investigation into the cause of the problem that arose during the weekend of the heavy snowfall is currently being carried out.

Shaded Dome as a recognizable eye-catcher

Shaded Dome is an innovation of Shaded Dome Technologies, founded by ZJA, Royal HaskoningDHV and Poly-Ned. The Shaded Dome developed and supplied by Shaded Dome Technologies for the Freedom Museum bears a strong resemblance to an enormous parachute, a recognizable emblem of the Dutch liberation at the time. With a Shaded Dome as the roof, the museum has an exceptional building and has become an icon in the hilly landscape of Groesbeek.

Photos: Freedom Museum Groesbeek