New hybrid institution offers immersive exhibits & learning environments

Tenderstream members Arup and Snøhetta - alongside Exigo - are celebrating the opening of La Nube STEAM Discovery Center, a unique hybrid institution in El Paso, TX. In partnership with Gyroscope and Jordan Foster Construction, the three practices created a design that merges the educational aspects of a science centre with the experiences of a children’s museum. The 70,000 sq ft centre contains four interactive levels with exhibits providing immersive and experiential learning environments for children and adults alike.

Spanish for “the cloud,” La Nube’s distinctive architecture is a celebration of the surrounding El Paso community and the desert’s expansive skies. The building’s unique geometries set it apart in the city’s skyline: the rectilinear base is wrapped in glass, providing interior views to entice passersby to stop inside the public lobby, and is topped by a rippling succession of barrel vaults which soar to a cloud-like crown. Elaine Molinar, Snøhetta partner and principal, explained: “With the design of La Nube, we embraced the idea of making more than a background for the exhibits, but in creating an environment where the architecture, landscape, and exhibits enhance each other and become a memorable, holistic experience.”

Working in close collaboration with the project team and Exigo, Arup designed the primary framing of La Nube’s intricate 4-story children’s climber structure that integrates seamlessly with the surrounding exhibit, allowing the signature long-span helical stairs to wrap uninterrupted around the climber. Arup’s structural team also optimised the museum’s long-span structural system by performing detailed footfall comfort analysis on every exhibit level. The long-span framing approach provides flexibility for the museum’s exhibits, while improving mobility and visitor experience. Ricardo Pittella, Arup’s project Director, stated: “La Nube exemplifies the importance of championing engaging cultural sites for all in our communities. We’re proud to be part of a great team that is providing access to enriching educational experiences and interactive learning for residents of El Paso and across Texas.”

Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research

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