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AqUA VISTA Seattle Aquarium makeover will offer visitors a pier-side view of the deep blue sea BY HEIDI MILLS rom the rooftop of the Seattle Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion, visi- tors will look out toward Puget Sound F and the Olympics, back toward Pike Place Market and the city skyline, and down into a 350,000-gallon shark tank. That’s right. A shark tank. One that visitors to the waterfront can observe without ever entering the aquarium. Boosters believe the dramatic vistas and dar- ing design of the Ocean Pavilion will make the aquarium one of Seattle’s must-see attractions, along with the Space Needle and Pike Place Market, and brand Seattle as a global leader in marine conservation efforts. The building is slated to open in 2023 as part of the city’s ambitious new waterfront. With the Alaskan Way Viaduct’s demolition, the waterfront will be transformed into a 20-acre urban park, and the Ocean Pavilion will become the centerpiece, occupying the most prominent spot. “The Ocean Pavilion will be at the crossroads of the city,” says Bob Davidson, Seattle Aquarium president and chief executive officer. “It’s a gift, and it’s also a statement of the importance of Seattle’s relationship to the water and the ocean.” For locals underwhelmed by today’s cramped aquarium, and by a waterfront largely occupied by trinket shops and tourist traps, the upcoming overhaul will be stunning. The Ocean Pavilion and waterfront park will bring bold new archi- tecture, large outdoor gathering spaces and a connection to Puget Sound that hasn’t existed since the viaduct was constructed in the 1950s. OCEAN VIEWS. “The new waterfront is as significant as Central The Seattle Aquarium expansion will include Park is in Manhattan,” says Mark Reddington, a a new Ocean Pavillion building that will partner with LMN Architects and the architect showcase the changing oceans of the world. for the Ocean Pavilion. “It will be one of the biggest transformations in Seattle’s history.” 34 / SEATTLE BUSINESS August 2019 August 2019 SEATTLE BUSINESS / 35 AQUA VISTA Aquarium supporters estimate the Ocean Aquarium leaders believe that a more After the Ocean Pavilion is completed, the In 2010, the nonprofit Seattle Aquarium and then again this spring to visit with local Pavilion and revamped waterfront will help prominent building focusing on ocean health west half of Pier 59 will be tackled in a $65 Society assumed management of the aquarium “FOR FAMILIES groups who could become partners. Through draw 1.2 million visitors a year to the aquarium, will showcase Seattle as an international million remodel. The project will include open- from the Seattle Department of Parks and meetings with local community leaders, up from 850,000 today. The larger waterfront center for marine research and conservation ing the end of the pier to Puget Sound views. Recreation. The new managing entity enabled WALKING BY, THEY’LL Indonesian nonprofits and international non- should see even more growth. efforts. Local groups studying oceans include Currently, visitors don’t see the water outside the aquarium to form a more powerful board, profits, they’ve learned about the challenges In 2017, Waterfront-traffic guest counts the University of Washington College of the the aquarium, as storage space takes up the end sharpen its core mission to inspire conservation LOOK UP IN AWE INTO Indonesians face due to climate change. were estimated at 6.9 million by the Historic Environment, the National Oceanic and of the historic pier building. West aquarium efforts and raise funds for an expanded facility. “The Coral Triangle is the Amazon of Waterfront Association. Projected growth is Atmospheric Administration and a number renovations also will expand the education With its current footprint on the two piers, THESE BLUE WATERS AND the ocean,” says Dr. Erin Meyer, director of between 14 million and 21 million guests by of nonprofits. Aquarium scientists have 13 center and conservation programming. the aquarium has long been dealing with space conservation programs and partnerships for the time Overlook Park and the Aquarium ongoing research projects at 39 sites in Wash- Next up after the main building renovation limitations. Last year, the facility had 47 days the aquarium. “It’s the center of biodiversity, expansion open. ington waters. They monitor sea acidification, is a $140 million renovation of Pier 60, which at peak capacity. The viaduct demolition and THINK WHAT A MARVEL and it’s the heart of where a lot of these global The Ocean Pavilion will not replace the exist- rock fish populations, sea otters and other houses birds and mammals. The project will park planning process provided an obvious changes are taking place.” ing aquarium on Pier 59 and 60, but instead marine life. The Ocean Pavilion will highlight include new and expanded marine mammal, time to push forward plans for a larger facility. THIS PLANET IS.” Aquarium staff members hope the Coral provide new space to showcase the changing local and international ocean research. shorebird and Puget Sound fish exhibits, MARTHA KONGSGAARD, Triangle partnerships will influence Ocean oceans of the world. Exhibits will focus on “Seattle is known as a center for world health, additional learning spaces and structural onstruction of the 48,000-square-foot CO-CHAIR OF THE SEATTLE AQUARIUM Pavilion exhibits and help convey the ocean the Coral Triangle, an endangered area of the but we also want to be a center for ocean enhancements. Ocean Pavilion will begin in 2021 conservation message to the public. The new ONE OCEAN, ONE FUTURE CAMPAIGN Pacific Ocean near Indonesia known for sea-life health,” Davidson says. According to Davidson, the idea of a larger and take two years. The building building is designed with four main areas. A diversity. The Ocean Pavilion will show the link The ambitious aquarium expansion will aquarium has been discussed since the facility C will sit just northeast of the exist- central gathering space will feature changing between the local waters of the Salish Sea and require an equal split of public and private first opened in 1977 as a city of Seattle-run ing aquarium, on land last occupied by a multimedia exhibits and serve as an event the wider Pacific, both of which are contending funds. The plans include not only the Ocean facility. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a parking lot and a small law office. Directly Seattle,” Davidson says. space for up to 200 people — an important with pollution and acidification from rising Pavilion, which is expectd to cost $100 million plan was developed to build a new aquarium above the planned building is the Pike Place The Ocean Pavilion also will allow the public element that will help sell the aquarium carbon dioxide emissions. Just as orca whales to $120 million, but also renovation of parts on the empty Piers 62 and 63 just north of the Market, and a park-like staircase dubbed to glimpse sea life without paying for aquarium and its unique space as an essential Seattle are suffering in the Pacific Northwest, sharks of the existing aquarium on Piers 59 and 60. existing facility, but the funding never material- the Overlook Walk will connect the two. admission. When walking along the water- experience, Davidson says. are struggling in the Coral Triangle. The east half of Pier 59, which includes the ized. For a new aquarium to gain momentum, Aside from the existing piers, the Ocean front’s new park promenade, visitors can pass The massive shark tank, dubbed the Coral “The health of our oceans is severely threat- aquarium’s main entrance and lobby, was the organization needed to change from within, Pavilion will be the only building to the west of right under the pavilion and look up into a tank Canyon, highlights the importance of preda- ened,” Davidson says. “We have a role in edu- renovated in 2007. That project added a gift Davidson explains. the new waterfront surface street. The location filled with five different species of sharks, rays, tors in a healthy marine ecosystem. With cating people on these issues, and in particular shop, café, meeting and event space, and a “We had to make the aquarium credible, so signals the aquarium as a building of impor- and other reef species. People also will be able gentle curves and a soft geometry, the exhibit educating young people.” 120,000-gallon exhibit near the front entrance. it could happen,” Davidson says. tance to the city, Reddington says. to peer down into the tank from the Ocean allows sharks to move naturally. The curves Models and drawings of the Ocean Pavilion Pavilion’s roof. also enable guests to peer into the tank from show a building that reflects nature and the sea. “This building is going to be architecturally opposite sides of the Ocean Pavilion without From the west side, the Ocean Pavilion and profound,” says Martha Kongsgaard, co-chair seeing each other. Overlook Walk are composed of soft curves of the Seattle Aquarium One Ocean, One Fu- “We want people to have the experience and wave-like walls, resembling the natural ture campaign. “For people who get off cruise of being immersed in this water,” says Susan elements of the seashore. ships, and for families walking by, they’ll look Bullerdick, capital projects director for the “The design needs to live up to that ambi- up in awe into these blue waters and think aquarium. tion,” Reddington says. “It’s all about a gesture what a marvel this planet is.” The tank is shaped like a martini glass, nar- to the water and the shore.” In addition to providing a dramatic rowing down to a smaller area for coral-dwell- The east side, which faces downtown Seattle, architectural statement from below and ing fish in the bottom.

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