OCEANARIUM CENTRE FOR MARINE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION:
Ocean is the most obvious feature of the earth’s surface.
Approximately seventy percent of this surface is covered by water. These
oceans are home for numerous living species. A large portion of earths’s
biodiversity is living in these oceans. It constitutes over 90 percent of the
habitable space on the planet. It contains the largest living animals ever lived
on the earth and billions upon billions of the tiniest.

As climate change has affected all other environments

it is affecting our oceans too in various ways. The health of the world’s ocean
and marine life is degrading rapidly as a result of excess human activities.
According to the studies, over 80% of all marine pollution originates from land
based sources. These activities continues to disturb marine environment till
today. In such global scenarios, we can see how important it is to understand
and conserve bio–diversities. There’s an inherent need in us to experience
understand and conserve marine environment.

Around the world, species and population are

recovering with effort and intervention from communities and government;
large areas are being established as protected areas; different nations have
adopted a series of specific targets to work together to protect the biodiversity
in the oceans for its own sake and for the benefits it brings to people
worldwide. Oceanariums are one of the mediums through which, the
wonderful experience of the marine environment is brought together.

Aim:
 To create and spread awareness about marine environment and
pollution happening in the oceans.
 To protect the endangered marine species, especially fishing practises
that indicates the urgency of the centre.
 To promote tourism and creating an international destination point.
 To provide a possible solution for the future where there is a high
possibility of extinction of aquatic nature due to water pollution.
OBJECTIVES:
The main objectives of the thesis to recognize the importance of
the architecture that goes hand in hand with humans and marine ecosystem
providing a scope for research and development of aquatic animals along with
public entertainment, eventually to conserve marine world.

RESEARCH QUESTION:
“How to recreate marine environment, considering it’s a sensitive nature?”

SCOPE:
The scope of this thesis is to look into detail the parameters of design of
oceanariums and aquadoms, as architectural expression of the seas and
oceans inside today’s modern built form. The other aspect would be looking
into efforts architects should implement in design process so as to enable
conservation and research of aquatic animals. The scope would restrict the
thesis to look into only design criteria but not the maintainance of such
architectural creations.

METHODOLGY:
The initial step would be looking at the difference, advantages
and disadvantages of oceanariums, aquadoms and aquatic parks . Looking into
case studies on successful architectural examples as well as successful
examples of conserved marine life in an artificial enVironment . After analysis
of case studies , to conclude possible architectural implementation that would
help in catering asthetic requirements as well as conservation and research of
marine life.
THE ASPECTS IN DESIGN CONSIDERATION:

 Climatic response is importrant , since oceanarium consumes high

amount of energy, unlike other typology.
 Cost of maintenance of an oceanarium is relatively high, so that
must be considered while design process.

LIMITATIONS:
The foremost limitation of such a thesis is that the author
cannot research into aquatic parks as they have very less architectural input
and is more about reclaiming and extension of the ocean to carry out
conservation and research . The other limtations would be the lack of primary
knowledge and case study of such a space in the Indian context.

OUTCOME:
 Architectural piece that draws attention of the world and by promoting
tourism in Tamil Nadu.
 A place of public entertainment.
 Meeting point of two different world.
 A fun place for all the age group of people from all over the world.
 Public awareness and education.
 High lighten the beauty of architecture by sensitive issues that today’s
world faces.

Thus a design approach which was mostly developed prioritizing visitor’s

experience began to influence the process of designing ,this called forth the
necessity of knowing each animal’s comfortable living conditions. A research
based designing process.
THRUST AREA STUDY:
The thrust area study is preservation and conservation of marine species as it is
justified by more tourist attraction towards oceanarium. The oceanarium to be
proposed is envisaged to be a state of the art . Oceanarium with most modern
and largest generation of design standards. The oceanarium for its sustained
operation would require a strong R&D and technical support in the area of
marine biology. This thesis would explore into the search of an iconic form that
would reflect the connection between man and ocean recreation of natural
environment which is both scientific and technical achievement to create an
atmosphere to arouse emotions, surprise and curiosity.

SITE LOCATION:
Mahabalipuram is selected as the site for the oceanarium
centre for marine research and education.

WHY MAHABALIPURAM?

 It is on the sea shore so there is good availability of water.

 Because of its great connectivity to the east coast road connecting
Chennai and Pondicherry the site has a good potential number of
foreign visitors.
 The footfall is already in good shape because of the heritage sites.
 Many hotels and resort are in less than 2kms away.
 It has good connectivity with other states.
 CRZ clearance is acquired for the site.

BUILT-IN SPACE:
 Administrative block.
 Research centre and laboratories.
 Aquatic pavilion.
 Shark tunnel.
 Polar pavilion.
 Cafeteria and restaurants.
 Gift shops.
 CASE STUDY

TARAPORE AQUARIUM

Year : 1951

Location: marine lines, Mumbai

Number of species: 100

Timings:11:00AM to 8:00PM(Closed on Monday)

Taraporewala Aquarium India's oldest aquarium and one of the city's main
attractions. It hosts marine and freshwater fishes. The aquarium is located on
Marine Drive, Mumbai.

It was re-opened after renovation on March 3, 2015. The renovated aquarium

has a 12-feet long and 360 degree acrylic glass tunnel. Another attraction is
Touch Pool which is only for exhibition and not for handling of fishes though it
is harmless to children, it is harmful to Aquatic Animal. The fish will be kept in
large glass tanks, which will be lit with LED lights.

Located in the famous Marine Drive, the Taraporewala Aquarium in

Mumbai contains an impressive variety of marine and freshwater fishes,
including some coral fishes collected from the Lakshadweep Islands. The
popular attractions include moray eels, turtles, sharks, starfishes and stingrays.
A separate section contains many specimens of preserved fishes and some rare
varieties of sea shells.

SERVICES

OPERATING AND MAINTANENCES

Maintaining fishes and other aquatic denizens in a public aquarium is

a highly specialized task .the water in the large tank is under
continuous circulation. Taps at the top of the tank supply water. The
water supply Steh peed is maintained as per the judgement of the
aquarium officers. water goes out from a concealed outlet at the
tank bottom . A sipon system keeps water at a constant level.

CIRCULATORY SYSTEMS:

The circulation in the aquarium is of closed type, i.e. the water once
taken into the system is used over and over again. From the display
tanks it goes to the filters where it passes through layers of sand
,gravel and pebbles. Here it is gotten rid of impurities and other
noxious substances. It then flows to a basement reservoir, from
where it is pumped up to an over head reservoir.

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE:

The building has been design according to the requirement but the
façade does not project the aquarium that is housed inside.

The façade has just been treated with painting of fishes to represent
the aquarium inside.

The arrangement of the tanks is concrete rectangle is a good layout

as the public is able to view the fresh water exhbits simultaneously.

The bulding looks lije a larger version of domestical fish tank

Source: www.advanced-aquarium.org
 LITERATURE STUDY

THE BLUE PLANET

Inspired by the shape of water in endless motion, Denmark’s new National

Aquarium, The Blue Planet is shaped as a great whirlpool, and the building
itself tells the story of what awaits inside. The whirlpool concept originates in a
narrative about water, and as an image, is at once both abstract and figurative.
It stirs attention with its distinctive vortex blades, but at the same time, as a
building, changes dramatically depending on viewing angle, distance and
daylight conditions. From the air, almost entirely white, its contours are
reminiscent of a starfish. From the front, the building’s organic lines are
evocative of silvery-grey waves or a vast sea creature, and on closer inspection,
the facade patterning is reminiscent of fish scales. This is a building that invites
interpretation.
Flexibility

The Blue Planet is located on an elevated headland towards the sea, north of
Kastrup Harbor. The building's distinctive shape is clearly visible for travelers
arriving by plane to the nearby Copenhagen Airport. The facade is covered
with more than 33,000 small diamond-shaped aluminum shingles, which
adapts to the building's organic form. The whirlpool concept was chosen as
ideal not only for its visual associations, but also because it resolved a a
practical challenge in the design brief: it ensures that one or more of the
whirlpool arms, with relative ease and without disrupting the building’s
integrity nor the operation of the aquarium, can be extended with more than
30 % in order to create more exhibition space.

The Arrival and Interior

Visitors reach the entrance by following the first and longest of the whirlpool’s arms, already starting
in the landscape. With a smooth transition the landscape surpasses for the building, while the
outdoor ponds mark the unique experience that awaits the aquarium visitors as they enter: the
whirlpool has pulled them into another world - a world beneath the surface of the sea. A circular
foyer is the center of motion around the aquarium, and it is here visitors choose which river, lake or
ocean to explore. By enabling multiple routes the risk of queues in front of individual aquariums is
reduced. The interiors range from grand to intimate settings, allowing the architecture and the
exhibits to jointly convey an array of diverse environments and moods. The curved ceilings of the
aquarium are reminiscent of the baleens of a large whale.
The exhibition is a total concept offering all visitors a sensuous and captivating experience of life in
and under the water. A mixture of light, sound, advanced AV-technology, projections, film,
interactivity, graphics, illustrations and signs aimed at all age levels ensures that every visitor,
regardless of background or interests, has the best experience possible. As the only aquarium in
Denmark, The Blue Planet focuses on all aquatic life – from cold and warm waters, fresh and salt. In
total, The Blue Planet contains app. 7 million liters of water and 53 aquariums and displays. The
restaurant's decor is based on the colors and expressions that characterize Nordic nature. The
restaurant faces south-east, and thus offers a panoramic view of the sea. The outdoors facilities
include a terrace with seating, a pond with carps and a tank with sea lions. The sea lions can also be
looked at from the inside of the aquarium.
PLAN
SOUTH ELEVATION

NORTH ELEVATION

EAST ELEVATION
WEST ELEVATION

SECTION
ISOMETRIC VIEW