Seattle, WA

Ardurra designed the Aquatic Life Support Systems for all the primary exhibits and secondary seawater systems for the Seattle Aquarium's Ocean Pavillion. Treatment equipment includes high efficiency pumps, sand filters, UV sterilization, temperature control, ozone disinfection and protein skimmers. Degassing towers are utilized at the end of each process to provide essential biological bacteria integration and ensure safe deaeration of the treated water before it is reintroduced to the habitats.

This project included a total of 500,000 gallons in exhibits, seawater storage, and seawater treatment. The 350,000-gallon main Coral Canyon Exhibit, also known as The Reef, includes an attached, uniquely shaped acclimation tank, a holding tank, amphitheater, and a large overhead viewing oculus. The multiple viewpoints in this exhibit provide an up-close and unmatched experience of the thriving reef community swimming as one. The Archipelago Exhibits include a 20,000-gallon Coral Reef Exhibit and an 8,000-gallon Mangrove Exhibit. Archipelago is featured in the center of the Ocean Pavilion building with a large mangrove forest extending above the water surface of the exhibit. This one-of-a-kind shaped tank with large acrylic windows provides multi-level views from inside the aquarium.