“Richardson foresaw a ‘forecast factory,’ where he calculated that 64,000 human ‘computers,’ each responsible for a small part of the globe, would be needed to keep ‘pace with the weather’ in order to predict weather conditions. They would be housed in a circular hall like a theater, with galleries going around the room and a map painted on the walls and ceiling. A conductor located in the center of the hall would coordinate the calculations using colored lights.”
“The History of Numerical Weather Prediction,” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Image courtesy L. Bengtsson.
http://viewshed.matinic.us/2011/12/12/300/