The Batumi Aquarium by Henning Larsen seeks to create an iconic rock formation at the port of Batumi, visible from both land and sea. Inspired by the characteristic pebbles of the Batumi beach, the design consists of four self-supporting exhibition areas each representing a unique marine biotype.
The circulation through the building allows visitors to venture through each exhibition from a central multipurpose space that includes a café, auditorium, and retail. This plan prevents the idea of a dead end within the exhibits that would force the visitor to turn around, instead the movement through the space is smooth, pouring people back into the heart of the aquarium no matter which direction they take.”]
photography by© Henning Larsen Architects
The aquarium offers the visitors an educational, entertaining, and visually stimulating journey through the different seas including the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea/Red Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Indian Ocean. To establish more of a research and learning environment in and around the site, a landscape of sea archipelagos surround the aquarium.
By doing this the aquarium flows further out into the site rather than feeling confined within the large stones that make up its form, becoming an interesting public space and meeting place along the beach.”]
The Batumi Aquarium wasn’t just designed to be a wonderful and engaging experience for the visitor but is also a state of the art contribution to exploring life underneath the sea surface, proving to be an inspirational place for people of all ages and interests.
photography by© Henning Larsen Architects
Courtesy of Henning Larsen
Kristin Hoover is an editor at Arch2O and a proud graduate of Virginia Tech. Since joining in July 2014, she has authored over 200 insightful articles covering everything from adaptive reuse and cultural centers to eco-buildings and urban infrastructure . With a passion for architectural storytelling, Kristin skillfully curates and crafts compelling narratives that bring design innovation to life. Her editorial work reflects a broad yet finely honed interest in how architecture intersects with society, technology, and the environment—making her a key voice shaping Arch2O’s explorations of contemporary built form.