Mediterranean Sea Center : Aquarium and exhibition

Faculty of Fine Arts, Alexandria University in Alexandria

Project idea

The main design decisions of the Mediterranean Sea Center project are determined with the desire to stand out. Following organic lines to represent the organic and lively nature of the aquarium, led lights amidst the darkness of the atmosphere to mimic the depth of the ocean and glowing tentacles of deep-sea creatures. The center is located in New Alamein city, which is known for its tourism and mediterranean beaches, featuring different types of mediterranean sea creatures that live in different underwater zones.

AQUARIUM:
The underwater zones: Sunlit zone, Twilight zone, Dark zone, Abyss Zone, and how sunlight travels throughout the zones. each zone lives specific types of marine life characterized by their individual need for sunlight.

EXHIBITION/MUSEUM:
Categorized into 3 different parts of the exhibition: Ancient marine life dioramas and ancient fossils of creatures that once lived in mediterranean sea.

PLAN LINES AND SILHOUETTES:
organic wavy lines inspired by jellyfish tentacles and marine life.

INTERIOR ANALYSIS:
organic futuristic style inspired by ocean life, wavy structures made of acrylic sheets and fiber glass reinforced concrete.
materials including; GFRC, Aluminum metal sheets, Black marble, White marble, acrylic made of plexiglass sheets tanks, Blue tinted glass and led lights.
lighting: the space uses artificial lighting, the use of blue LED lighting for aquarium spaces, and the usage of natural lighting during the day.

Project description

This project consists of three floors.

Ground floor: main entrance hall and the reception desk next to the main stairs, lobby and gift shop, aquariums featuring spherical tank acting as focal point, in addition, there's a lost and found area, a water recycling and heating room, an exit and a staff entrance next to the staff rooms with several elevators to provide easy access away from the visitor's zones.

First floor: consists of the main aquarium tunnel part with a tunnel like experience, and the exhibition area. the aquarium consists of 4 zones, each zone representing the different underwater zones; Sunlit zone, Twilight zone, Dark zone, Abyss Zone. each zone features specific types of marine life characterized by their individual need for sunlight.
the exhibition area (or museum), features dioramas of ancient sea creatures and ancient fossils. in addition to the water recycling and heating room, the nutrition room, and emergency stairs.

Second floor: contains of the cafe, kitchen, HR room, financial room, bathrooms, and tourguide staff offices, as well as a giant blue whale diorama.

Technical information

STRUCTURE ANALYSIS:
The main structure of the building is a mix of reinforced, concrete core steel space frame structure, and composite beams. Containing of metal structures and tempered glass to strengthen the shell structure