NYC
Aquarium
Canvas
Tanks
Team
Renate Solivar
Conrad Speckert
Joshua Giovinazzo
Imagine: an aquarium that’s not only a place for learning but a place to explore, a building that upholds both public life and sea life in equal measure. In this competition, our task was to create an accessible public space that combined a park and aquarium along the edge of the East River in Queens, New York. Surrounded by commercial and residential developments, the design needed to give Queens an iconic destination that also served as a cultural anchor for the city. Our vision for this project was to take advantage of the necessary closed-envelope design aquariums require, using the exterior façade to showcase graffiti and public art, and the roof to extend the public park.
This response to the demolition of the 5 POINTZ Aerosol Art Center nearby, and separates the park from street traffic below it, offering its visitors a quiet retreat where they can view the Manhattan skyline. On the inside, a ramping system winds around three tanks in an upwards circulation, giving museum visitors ever-changing vantage points to observe the underwater exhibits.
about