Aquarium “The Blue Planet” , (Den Blå Planet), built by 3xn Architects, is a huge aquarium located a few kilometers from the Danish capital that with its construction imitates the forms of water, it is the largest and most modern aquarium in the north of Europe. Construction started in October 2010 and was completed in the spring of 2013. The funds to bring this project to reality were mainly provided by Realdania, the Knud Højgaard Foundation and the municipality of Tårnby, at a cost of € 735 million. .
Summary
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- 1 Situation
- 2 Architectural concept
- 3 Spaces
- 1 Lobby
- 2 tanks
- 4 Structure and materials
- 5 Project
- 6 Area and surface
- 7 Plans
- 8 Sources
Situation
The aquarium is located on an artificial promontory facing the sea, a few kilometers from the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen , on the island of Amager, Oresund coast , in the northern part of Kastrup Havn, Jacob Fortlingsvej 1 street, 2770 Kastrup , close to the capital airport. If you are leaving from the city center, get off at the Kastrup station, on the metro that takes you to the airport, and walk 10 minutes
Architectural concept
Architecturally, the aquarium is shaped like a whirlpool, a natural whirlpool, associated with the eddies of fish, birds and ocean currents. From the air the whirlpool is fully appreciated and from the ground you get the feeling of being in a building that floats in a circular reflection pool, with an interior that leads through various organic worlds.
Winners of the first prize in the competition for the new Danish Aquarium , 3xn tried with this structure to capture the essence of what it is to see the fish in their element, that the building itself is part and at the same time creates a little of the spirit adventure, inspired by the natural phenomenon of the whirlpool or whirlpool that drags you into the depths.
Spaces
The building’s surface is 9,000 m², plus 2,000 m² of outdoor facilities, which includes parking spaces. The architects considered in their design the possibility of a future expansion.
Raised a few meters above the ground, The Blue Planet is a reflection of strong coherence, of greatness in the smallest things, all the water in the world is inextricably linked, from the enormous forces of the tsunami to the infinitely small spinning molecules. Overlooking the Øresund, the building connects the land and the sea , both to the airFree as in the interior, as the eddies of the land connect the pools and the sea that surrounds the building. Visitors arrive at the entrance following the first and longest of the “hot tub” turns. With a smooth transition, landscape surpasses construction, while open-air ponds mark the unique experience that awaits aquarium visitors as they enter The Blue Planet, the whirlpool that transports them to another world, a world below the surface. from sea.
Lobby
From the entrance, the visitor walks in the vortex of the whirlwind, the roundabout lobby, and enters the spiral towards the 53 aquariums and facilities. The circular hall is the central point of navigation in the aquarium. Here visitors choose which river , lake or ocean they want to explore. By allowing multiple routes the risk of tails in front of individual aquariums is reduced. Each exhibition has its own theme and entrance from the lobby, where images and sounds are used to introduce the atmosphere of the different exhibition spaces. The restaurant has a magnificent view of the sea, which begins a few meters away.
A large glass ceiling above the lobby, which corresponds to the floor of the rooftop pool, allows natural light to enter through the water, creating a feeling of being under the sea for visitors.
Tanks
The largest tank of the 53 that the Blue Planet has, the Ocean Tank, contains four million liters of water, and hammerfish, rays and mysterious moray eels swim among hundreds of other fish. In the middle of this aquarium, a 16-meter transparent tunnel has also been built to fully delve into the underwater world.
The rest of the tanks are distributed among the five curved arms that make up the building, dividing into several sections: hot fresh water, rain, cold salt water and an open-air lake.
Structure and materials
Its main structure is made of steel, covered with aluminum plates, of the “shingles” type. Building materials are based on simplicity, flexibility, and quality, all seemingly essential to design lines, weather, and a smooth aging process. Lower quality materials prone to corrosion, poor insulation or poor aging would have been too costly in the long run.
A heavy steel structure supports the main loads, aided by precast and concrete walls made on site. The skeleton is well wrapped in insulating wool and lined with Rheinzink aluminum plates, with the texture of a fish skin.
Draft
The Blue Planet is a highly complex building, which in turn creates a unique environment for a unique cultural experience, while being economically sustainable and creating the framework for a complex ecosystem of some of the world’s most sensitive animal species. 3XN has been the project manager with a total of fifteen sub-consultants. Expectations have been high from the start, and the organic shapes of the complex façade have been challenging, requiring close collaboration between collaborators.
Area and surface
The Blue Planet has a constructed area of 9,000 m ² surrounded by water in all directions, taking the shape of a vortex when viewed from above. It has a main structure composed of a steel frame covered by aluminum sheets , making it look organic and at the same time have provided lower costs. Likewise, the reflection caused by the pond located outside gives an appearance of floating circular movement.
The aquarium is built on an area of 27,000m² on an artificial hill in the Kastrup Marina, located on the edge of the Øresund Sound, a narrow strait that separates Sweden and Denmark. Likewise, the aquarium is located near the airport and is accessible through various modes of transport, such as by car, train, metro, bus, bike or on foot.
