In June 2010, Henning Larsen Architects won 1st Prize in Invited Competition for its new aquarium design in the Georgian seaport of Batumi. Batumi is the capital of the southwestern province Adjara, situated adjacent to the Black Sea. Batumi is an active tourist centre and commercial port, hosting numerous cafés, beaches, hotels, and other cultural and recreational areas. The new 2,000 m2 aquarium combines educational, commercial, and recreational programmes. Programmatic elements are divided into distinct hubs, or pebbles, organized around a central public zone. The aquarium layout constitutes four self-supporting exhibition areas where each of the four stones represents a unique marine biotype: Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea / Red Sea, Aegean Sea, and Indian Ocean. The four separate exhibitions are connected by a central, multipurpose space including a café, auditorium, and retail functions with views of the Black Sea and Batumi Beach. The educational intention of Batumi Aquarium is triangulated in a spatial arrangement: listening (auditorium), experiencing (witnessing, learning, absorbing), and experimenting (workshops). Spaces are juxtaposed in a configuration that allows for a stimulating, interactive environment. The aesthetic design of Batumi Aquarium is extracted directly from the pebbles of Batumi Beach. The ingrained, nostalgic notion of the Black Sea has shaped the shoreline of the Republic of Georgia and has perpetually nurtured a rich marine life. The Batumi Aquarium will embody an iconic rock formation visible from both land and sea. Estimated date of completion: 2013.
2010
2015
Location: Batumi, the Republic of Georgia
Assignment: First Prize in Invited Competition, 2010
Client: Association A.T.U.
Gross Floor Area: 2,000 m2
Estimated Date of Completion: 2013
Louis Becker (design director, partner) Anders Park (project manager), Viggo Haremst (design responsible), Michael Sørensen and Jaewoo Chun.
