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Batumi Aquarium by Henning Larsen Architects
Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects have won a competition to design an aquarium in Batumi, Georgia, resembling a cluster of pebbles.
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Called Batumi Aquarium, the design of the building is inspired by characteristic pebbles found on Batumi beach and will provide views of the beach and the Black sea.
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The building will be made of four pebble-shaped structures, each housing an exhibition space representing a unique marine biotype - the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, the Indian ocean, the Black and Red seas and an interactive exhibition.
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The four areas will be connected by a central space, which will include a café, auditorium and retail areas.
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Here's some more information from the architects:
Henning Larsen Architects wins Georgian Aquarium
Batumi Aquarium is inspired by the characteristic pebbles of the Batumi beach – the residue of dynamic seas continually shaping the shorefront throughout millennia.
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The building will be situated in the Georgian port of Batumi and will stand out as an iconic rock formation – visible from both land and sea.
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The formation constitutes four self-supporting exhibition areas where each of the four stones represents a unique marine biotype – the Aegean Sea & the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Black Sea & the Red Sea and finally the more interactive exhibition.
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The four dispersed aquarium exhibitions are connected by a central, multipurpose space including café, auditorium and retail functions with views of the black sea and Batumi beach as scenic backdrop.
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Visitors gather in the central space to convene, play, eat, shop and relax before continuing their adventures through the exhibitions. Batumi Aquarium will become a modern, cultural aquarium offering visitors an educational, entertaining and visually stimulating journey through the different seas.
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Unfolding around the aquarium, a landscape of different sea archipelagos provides attractive opportunities for innovative outdoor research and learning, public space and meeting places along the beach.
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The building's significant expression inspired by nature will not only make Batumi Aquarium a spectacular new landmark in Georgia but also a state-of-the-art contribution to exploring life underneath the sea surface.
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Project Facts
Project: Batumi Aquarium
Location: Rustaveli Str., Batumi, The Republic of Georgia
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Client: Association A.T.U.
Architect: Henning Larsen Architects
Gross floor area: 2,000 m2
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Type of assignment: First prize in invited competition. Other participants were the German architecture company Drei Architekten as well as the two American companies PJA Architects and Pryor & Morrow Architects.
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The project team from Henning Larsen Architects includes Louis Becker (design director, partner) Anders Park (project manager), Viggo Haremst (design responsible), Michael Sørensen and Jaewoo Chun.
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See also:
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