Blue Planet aquarium to open in Copenhagen in March 2013
The Blue Planet, a new 10,000 square metre whirlpool-shaped aquarium in Copenhagen, Denmark, which is touted as Northern Europe's largest aquarium, is all set to open on 21 March 2013.
Located at Kastrup Harbour in Tårnby municipality, the aquarium is accessible to Copenhagen Airport, the Øresund Bridge, the Metro and Amager Strandpark. Expected to attract about 700,000 visitors per year, the aquarium features birds from the Faeroe Islands, the damp heat of the Amazon jungles, the grand lakes of Africa and a coral reef.
Every area of the attraction is themed with set pieces, ambient music and show lighting, and features contemporary Scandinavian design by 3XN architects. Blue Planet aquarium is built directly on the beach. Its characteristic round shape was inspired by whirlpools, evoking associations of swirls of fish, birds and galaxies.
A notable element of the aquarium is 'The Ocean,' the aquarium's largest tank filled with over 900,000 gallons of water. A 16 metre long tunnel has been built through the tank, which provides the feel of walking on the floor of the ocean to the visitors. The pane tank is made of acrylic, which is 45cm thick in order to withstand the enormous weight of the water.
The Blue Planet also features a restaurant, shop, auditorium, temporary exhibition space, as well as facilities for meetings, parties and functions.
Moe & Brødsgaard provided engineering services for the aquarium. The project was chosen out of 38 designs from all over the world.
