The Blue Planet / 3XN
+ 32
• Curated by ArchDaily
AQUARIUM
•
DENMARK
• Architects: 3XN
• Area: 10000 m²
• Year: 2012
• Photographs:Adam Mõrk
• Manufacturers: COEMAR, Reynolds Polymer Technology, SIMES, Three L
Technologies
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© Adam Mõrk
Text description provided by the architects. The Whirlpool
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.
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© Adam Mõrk
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.
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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.
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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.
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Construction and Location
The building extends beyond the original coastline, placing special requirements on the
facility's structures in a terrain with tendency to subsidence. The structure is founded
on piles and all of the sewage structures are suspended in the concrete structure. The
building's architectural facade design forms the basis for the design of the steel
structures. The load-bearing system consists of 54 unique steel frames, which via their
radial positioning and geometry forms the base of the curved facades. A service line was
built 1.7 km out into the Øresund to obtain suitable water for the aquariums. Moreover,
the cooling system for aquariums and climate system for public areas also use
seawater. The Blue Planet has an outstanding location on the shores of Øresund, only
eight kilometres from the Copenhagen City Hall Square. Motorways, Copenhagen
Airport, the Øresund Bridge, Metro and international trains are within few hundred
meters.
