The central hall at the Paranal Residencia

Panoramic view of the central hall at the Paranal Residencia, with a swimming pool and the main indoor garden. The light for this central part of the building comes through a 35-metre-diameter dome in the ceiling. At the centre of the dome, an umbrella-shaped blackout curtain automatically opens at sunset, to avoid any escape of artificial light, potentially dangerous for astronomical observations. The curtain closes automatically at sunrise and remains folded during the day. The garden and the swimming pool keep a certain level of humidity inside the building, providing a more comfortable environment for the people who work at one of the driest sites on Earth. This award-winning construction was designed by German architects Auer+Weber.