Seattle Aquarium

This project continues to push the conversation forward on the future of aquariums - towards a working model of how a thriving human culture can foster a thriving ecology. Collaborating with Aquarium staff and Coast Salish/urban Indigenous consultants, Thinc moves beyond the simulation of ecosystems, set apart and outside human reach, to designing an experience of humans and the ocean world around them.

On the public waterfront, the Pavilion "Aqualus" offers an impossible view into the Coral Canyon home of resident sharks and rays. Inside, an Archipelago of living coral and mangrove communities 'float' within a grand atrium, designed to host cultural programming and immersive media experiences that transform the central, One Ocean Hall into a powerful storyteller. Back-of-house spaces, turned into public-facing exhibits, demonstrate the Aquarium - culture and community of care. Thinc's exhibits place humanity within the natural world, prompting conversations around shared human values and what it could mean for the planet to live an ocean ethic.

  • Client: Seattle Aquarium
  • Summary: Exhibition Planning and Design
  • Project Type: Aquariums and Zoos
  • Location: Seattle , WA
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