First Fully Immersive Marine Center Will Have Walls That Mimic Coral Reefs

Foster + Partners, the architectural firm behind the stadium for the finals of the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, has unveiled another project in the Middle East. This time, the company is working on the world’s first fully-immersive experiential marine life center, aptly situated along Saudi Arabia’s coast of the Red Sea. 

Located in the Triple Bay Marina at luxury tourist destination AMAALA, the institute promises to allow visitors “a glimpse into the wonders of the environment” and highlight the ongoing challenges faced when conserving our natural habitats. 

Upon arrival, visitors will be greeted by colorful tanks at the entrance of the marine center, guiding them towards the central exhibit—a canopy that spans across all four of the buildings “clusters” that gives you a peek at the open sky. 

Throughout the center, the exhibitions are seamlessly integrated with the building’s architecture, embodying the journey of traversing through the Red Sea, from its shallow mangroves and sandy beaches to the deep coral reef as visitors make their way down into the ocean. 

“Integrated exhibition displays take visitors on a journey through the Red Sea, as they travel down the building towards the immersive deep reef ‘big reveal’,” said Gerard Evenden, Head of Studio at Foster + Partners. 

“At the heart of the space a large, suspended semi-spherical tank—a real first-of-its-kind—contains local marine wildlife within a stunning coral exhibit,” he added.

According to The Siasat Daily, the exhibit will feature one of the largest manmade coral reefs in the world, measuring 131 feet in length by 32 feet in depth. 

Within its three floors—one above ground, below ground, and under water—the center will not only be home to experiential exhibits, but will offer researcher-led educational tours of the laboratories, and an underwater tour of the Red Sea in submersible vehicles. 

Much of the design has been based on the central inspiration of coral reefs, with the screen covering the building’s windows and skylights inspired by the intricate pattern corals naturally form. 

The firm chose to integrate GRC panels, considered to be extremely robust in a marine environment, so as to replicate patterns of the coral reef in both the shape of the modules and texture of the walls.

Sustainability-wise, over 40% of the site boasts native plants, and an innovative system that collects runoff water to reuse, while preventing erosion and pollution in the area. 

Plus, all the lighting in the institute uses an eco-friendly framework that protects the nocturnal environment from unnecessary light pollution. 

Work has already begun on the site, which is scheduled to welcome its first visitors in 2024.

[via The Siasat Daily and Foster + Partners, images via Foster + Partners]