A new Red Sea tourist destination and scientific
research centre will offer AR experiences, submarine
dives, underwater walks and an insight into the
region’s unique marine life, finds Tom Walker
The design of the marine life institute was inspired by coral reefs / Photo: Foster + Partner
The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the AMAALA tourism project on the shores of the Red Sea, has revealed detailed plans for a marine life institute. Designed by Foster and Partners, the institute will function as both a scientific research centre and a tourist destination, with 10 zones providing a range of experiences, from augmented reality to submarine dives.
The 10,340sqm institute will be built three levels – one above ground and two below – and offer panoramic views of the Red Sea and marina.
Inspired by the Red Sea’s coral formations, the glass-reinforced concrete being used to build the institute will be intricately moulded to resemble reef patterns. Inside, exhibition displays have also been integrated into the infrastructure, with visitors flanked by suspended semi-spherical tanks containing colourful local marine life.
Expected to host up to 650 people at any one time, guests will be able to walk underwater, snorkel with rare species, participate in lab tours and dive into the depths of the Red Sea in a submarine. The marine life institute is part of phase one of AMAALA Triple Bay, which is set to welcome its first guests in 2024.
John Pagano, Group CEO of TRSDC, said: “We wanted to design a first-of-its-kind facility that extends far beyond any existing marine life attraction.
“With 10 zones that provide everything from augmented reality experiences to night diving and spaces for the scientific community to effectively progress their environmental projects, the facility is undeniably unique.
“Not only will it drive global green and blue innovations, it will also help put Saudi Arabia on the map for travellers seeking trips that enrich their lives.”
More than 40 per cent of the site will be covered by native plants, and a system to collect runoff water put in place to prevent erosion and pollution while reducing mains water use. The lighting throughout the institute has also been designed with the company’s green ambitions in mind, with an innovative framework to prevent light pollution to protect the nocturnal environment.
Gerard Evenden, head of studio at Foster and Partners, said: “The marine life institute will take guests on a vibrant, educational, and awe-inspiring journey that unveils the natural wonders of the Red Sea and blurs the boundaries between the institute and the ocean.
“By recreating natural marine habitats, offering unforgettable marine interactions, and sharing glimpses into conservation projects, it will provide guests with an immersive marine experience unlike any other.”
TRSDC is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
AMAALA is marketed as an ultra-luxury destination and as the “first global integrated family wellness destination.”
Phase One of Triple Bay is set to be complete in 2024. It will consist of eight resorts offering upwards of 1,200 hotel keys.
Once complete, AMAALA will be home to more than 3,000 hotel rooms across 25 hotels, and approximately 900 luxury residential villas, apartments, and homes, alongside high-end retail, dining, wellness, and recreational facilities.
Photo: Foster + Partners
"We wanted to design a first of its kind facility that extends far beyond any existing marine life attraction" – Gerard Evenden, head of studio at Foster and Partners
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2022 issue 4
Letters: Write to reply
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Scientific research: Under the sea
A new Red Sea scientific research centre and marine life attraction will offer visitors AR experiences, underwater walks, submarine dives and more
Tech: Getting personal
These operators are getting clever with technology, using digital companions to personalise the guest experience, creating opportunities for deeper connections
A new Red Sea tourist destination and scientific
research centre will offer AR experiences, submarine
dives, underwater walks and an insight into the
region’s unique marine life, finds Tom Walker
The design of the marine life institute was inspired by coral reefs / Photo: Foster + Partner
The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind the AMAALA tourism project on the shores of the Red Sea, has revealed detailed plans for a marine life institute. Designed by Foster and Partners, the institute will function as both a scientific research centre and a tourist destination, with 10 zones providing a range of experiences, from augmented reality to submarine dives.
The 10,340sqm institute will be built three levels – one above ground and two below – and offer panoramic views of the Red Sea and marina.
Inspired by the Red Sea’s coral formations, the glass-reinforced concrete being used to build the institute will be intricately moulded to resemble reef patterns. Inside, exhibition displays have also been integrated into the infrastructure, with visitors flanked by suspended semi-spherical tanks containing colourful local marine life.
Expected to host up to 650 people at any one time, guests will be able to walk underwater, snorkel with rare species, participate in lab tours and dive into the depths of the Red Sea in a submarine. The marine life institute is part of phase one of AMAALA Triple Bay, which is set to welcome its first guests in 2024.
John Pagano, Group CEO of TRSDC, said: “We wanted to design a first-of-its-kind facility that extends far beyond any existing marine life attraction.
“With 10 zones that provide everything from augmented reality experiences to night diving and spaces for the scientific community to effectively progress their environmental projects, the facility is undeniably unique.
“Not only will it drive global green and blue innovations, it will also help put Saudi Arabia on the map for travellers seeking trips that enrich their lives.”
More than 40 per cent of the site will be covered by native plants, and a system to collect runoff water put in place to prevent erosion and pollution while reducing mains water use. The lighting throughout the institute has also been designed with the company’s green ambitions in mind, with an innovative framework to prevent light pollution to protect the nocturnal environment.
Gerard Evenden, head of studio at Foster and Partners, said: “The marine life institute will take guests on a vibrant, educational, and awe-inspiring journey that unveils the natural wonders of the Red Sea and blurs the boundaries between the institute and the ocean.
“By recreating natural marine habitats, offering unforgettable marine interactions, and sharing glimpses into conservation projects, it will provide guests with an immersive marine experience unlike any other.”
TRSDC is wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
AMAALA is marketed as an ultra-luxury destination and as the “first global integrated family wellness destination.”
Phase One of Triple Bay is set to be complete in 2024. It will consist of eight resorts offering upwards of 1,200 hotel keys.
Once complete, AMAALA will be home to more than 3,000 hotel rooms across 25 hotels, and approximately 900 luxury residential villas, apartments, and homes, alongside high-end retail, dining, wellness, and recreational facilities.
Photo: Foster + Partners
"We wanted to design a first of its kind facility that extends far beyond any existing marine life attraction" – Gerard Evenden, head of studio at Foster and Partners
Read more from this issue of Attractions Management magazine
View contents of Attractions Management 2022 issue 4
Letters: Write to reply
Gordon Hartman, dad and founder of Morgan’s Wonderland on inclusion-centric thinking and action and Merlin Entertainments' Fiona Eastwood on inclusion and diversity...
People: Es Devlin
Known for her large scale public art installations, the designer and stage director has been awarded a CBE
People: Evert Poor
On what the Canadian Prime Minister’s visit meant for the Indigenous Peoples Experience
Interview: Ramona Bass
Half way thought a $130m masterplan and with conservation projects in 30 countries, Fort Worth Zoo is thinking big, its co-chair tells Magali Robathan
Research: Tough times
The cost of living crisis is already seeing the public cut its leisure spend, but these steps will help attractions keep visitors coming, says Jon Young
Innovation: Ars Electronica
Linz in Austria has reinvented itself as a city of innovation, with the future facing Ars Electronica Center at its heart
Tech: Emotional reward
Scientists have found a way to tweak video game difficulty according to player emotion, and it has huge potential for visitor attractions
Profile: Margaret Kerrison
The former Disney Imagineer is determined to share what she’s learned about creating absorbing worlds for visitors
Preview: Bird Paradise
Singapore is bringing its nature attractions together to help drive conservation and improve the visitor experience
Interview: Graham MacVoy
How the team behind Boomtown Festival harnessed their brand of creativity to build a unique permanent attraction
Scientific research: Under the sea
A new Red Sea scientific research centre and marine life attraction will offer visitors AR experiences, underwater walks, submarine dives and more
Tech: Getting personal
These operators are getting clever with technology, using digital companions to personalise the guest experience, creating opportunities for deeper connections
London Museum will open four new food and drink destinations when it launches its new home
at Smithfield on 28 November, making hospitality a central part of the visitor experience at one
of the capital's biggest cultural openings of the year.
OMA has completed a major transformation of New York's New Museum, creating a larger
cultural campus that combines expanded exhibition spaces with learning, performance,
hospitality and public programming.
A US$50 million (£44.2 million, €51.2 million) transformation of Chicago's historic McCormick
Mansion has created a new destination that combines live magic, immersive theatre, dining and
private membership under one roof.
The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana
Heritage
Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive
storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the sta
San Antonio Zoo has reported a US$283 million economic impact for 2025, following a decade-
long transformation programme that has seen almost US$200 million invested into the Texas
attraction.
Plans for the AU$180 million redevelopment of Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville, Australia, are
progressing, with the project set to transform the attraction into a global centre for reef
education and conservation.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
