Batumi Aquarium in The Republic of Georgia by Henning Larsen

Article source: Henning Larsen Architects
More projects by Henning Larsen Architects

Henning Larsen Architects’ proposal for Batumi Aquarium is inspired by the characteristic pebbles of the Batumi beach – shaped by sea currents through millennia. The building stands out as an iconic rock formation visible from both land and sea. The formation constitutes four self-supporting exhibition areas with each stone representing 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 space for teaching and “edutainment”.

Batumi Aquarium External View 1

The new aquarium will replace the older, existing aquarium and will be situated on the beach side of Rustaveli Str. adjacent to Batumi 6 May Park featuring a Dolphinarium and a Zoo.

Batumi Aquarium Internal View 1

”The building will become a landmark and an organic reference to all elements of the sea”, explains Design Director and Partner at Henning Larsen Architects, Louis Becker. “It captures the special atmosphere by the sea and thus becomes a tribute to the power of the sea!”

Batumi Aquarium will become a modern, cultural aquarium offering visitors an educational, entertaining and visually stimulating journey through the different seas. The central, multipurpose space in connection with the aquarium features a café and retail functions and its flexible layout makes it well-suited for presentations and workshops.

Batumi Aquarium East Elevation

“It has been important for us to create a design that relates explicitly to local characteristics of Batumi while at the same time reaching out to the world”, says Anders Park, who is project manager for a number of Hen-ning Larsen Architects’ projects in Georgia. “The aquarium interacts with its surroundings and becomes a manifestation of nature itself”.

Unfolding around the aquarium, a landscape of different sea archipelagos provides attractive opportunities for innovative outdoor research and learning as well as informal meetings along the beachfront.

Its 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..

Batumi Aquarium Cross Section

The City of Batumi

Batumi is the capital of the south-western province Adjara in Georgia. The city has approx. 120,000 citizens and is situated by the Black Sea, approx. 20 km from the border of Turkey. Batumi is a very active tourist city and commercial port. Unlike other cities in Georgia, the houses of Batumi are richly coloured and the city bears the mark of being a sailor city with a number of restaurants and cafés. Batumi also has wonderful beaches and many small hotels.

Web: http://www.henninglarsen.com/

Article & image source: HENNING LARSEN ARCHITECTS

• Architect: Henning Larsen Architects
• Client: Association A.T.U.
• Gross floor area: 2,000 m2
• Type of assignment: First prize in invited competition.
• Project location: The Republic of Georgia
• Project team: Louis Becker (design director, partner) Anders Park (project manager), Viggo Haremst (design responsible), Michael Sørensen and Jaewoo Chun.

Tags: Batumi, The republic of Georgia

Categories: Aquarium, Henning Larsen, Museum

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