Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion

Location

Seattle, Washington

Owner

Seattle Aquarium

Collaborators +

Exhibit Designer: Thinc Design

General Contractor: Turner Construction Company

Structural & Civil Engineering: Magnusson Klemencic Associates

MEP Engineering: PAE Consulting Engineers

Landscape Architecture: James Corner Field Operations

Lighting Design: Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design

Project Size

50,000 square feet

Project Status

Completed

Services

Architecture, Interior Design, Planning, Urban Design

The Seattle Aquarium Ocean Pavilion embodies interconnectivity and sustainability, linking various iconic Seattle landmarks and the ocean. The pavilion integrates with the urban waterfront and the Aquarium’s nearby harborside buildings, offering a collection of immersive marine experiences.

The 50,000-square-foot building features living exhibits, ecological experiences, and hands-on exploration that move beyond traditional aquarium models to highlight the connection between human and marine life. The central One Ocean Hall and its exhibits, including the central habitat The Reef, center on the Aquarium’s One Ocean ethic, emphasizing that all waters are connected in Earth’s one ocean. The project honors its location on the traditional lands of the Coast Salish peoples, incorporating their input into the design and cultural framework for the building, landscape, exhibits, and public art. Targeting LEED Gold and Zero Carbon certification, the pavilion emphasizes the Aquarium’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

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Slideshow

Photography: Lara Swimmer

Strategically placed glazing including an iconic oculus helps democratize the Aquarium, providing equitable opportunities for the public to see into the main reef exhibit and to engage with the interior spaces.

Beginning in One Ocean Hall, the central gathering space, visitors experience immersive, changing multimedia exhibits alongside community events and public programs, all centered on the Aquarium’s One Ocean ethic, which emphasizes that all waters are connected in Earth’s one ocean.

Vignettes and exhibitions across the building’s three levels express the interconnectivity of ocean and human ecosystems, an ethos continued above in the public roof garden where seating spaces intertwine with indigenous plants and panoramic views of the city, ocean, and mountains beyond.