Solar Ark, Science museum in Anpachi, Japan
Solar Ark is a science museum in Anpachi, Japan, housed in a building 315 meters long and 37 meters high covered with more than 5,000 solar modules. The construction rests on a steel framework whose facade is entirely clad with photovoltaic elements forming a continuous, gently curved surface.
The museum opened in 2002 as a project marking the 50th anniversary of Sanyo Electric, using solar panels that had been reclaimed after a sales incident in 2000. Panasonic Holdings transferred the facility to an Osaka real estate company in 2022 after power generation ceased.
The name refers to the shape of a giant ship whose curved walls seem to float above a flat plain. Travelers on the Shinkansen recognize the building by its silhouette and by the solar modules that shine differently during the day depending on how light strikes them.
The facility is located in a rural area north of Gifu and is clearly visible from both the Tokaido Shinkansen line and the Meishin Expressway. Visitors should note that the building has not been used for power generation since 2022, but exhibitions continue to be offered.
At night, 77,200 LED lamps illuminate the facade and create patterns visible from trains and from the expressway. The installation transforms the building into a glowing object that stretches over several hundred meters and shapes the surrounding landscape after dark.
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