Seattle Aquarium

More than two decades in the making, the 50,000-square-foot Ocean Pavilion is an extension of the Seattle Aquarium campus that brings access and renewal to the city's waterfront.

Using the concept of one world, one ocean, guests enter the Ocean Pavilion and are transported from the waters of the local Salish Sea to the Coral Triangle, a marine region in the western Pacific Ocean so rich in biodiversity that it is often referred to as the "Amazon of the Seas.”

Three magnificent habitats, including an impressive nearly 500,000-gallon habitat called The Reef, allow visitors to encounter more than 3,500 animals and plants, from the smallest anthias and butterfly fish to sharks and spotted eagle rays. Nearly 30 species of coral bring this ecosystem to life, giving visitors of all ages the opportunity to interact with animals they may never see up close, while learning about the communities that depend on them.

Through a series of art installations, interactive media, and an immersive 360-degree experience, visitors will be inspired by the stories of the indigenous communities who call this region home and have cared for the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest for generations.

Younger visitors can make their own connection to marine life by exploring the Coral Reef Encounter, a crawl through space with interactive media designed for them.

Developed in close collaboration with Aquarium staff, indigenous advisors, and organizations from the Coral Triangle region, and our partners (LMN Architects and Rare Volume), this project advances the conversation about the future of aquariums - taking a global approach to a working model of how a thriving human culture can foster a thriving ecology.

  • Client: Seattle Aquarium
  • Summary: Exhibition Planning and Design
  • Project Type: Aquariums and Zoos
  • Location: Seattle , WA
  • Date: August 2024
IN THE NEWS