Inspired by the shape of water in endless motion, Denmark’s new National Aquarium, Den Blå Planet, is shaped like a great whirlpool, waiting to pull visitors in to see its 20,000 sea animals. The CEO and designer describe the attraction
By Kathleen Whyman | Published in Attractions Management 2013 issue 2
The building’s propeller shape resembles a whirlpool
What makes Den Blå Planet different? Physically, it’s the size. With 20,000 animals (and 450 different species), 53 aquariums and seven million litres of water, we’re the biggest and most modern aquarium in Northern Europe.
Emotionally, it’s the way the architecture, the aquarium and the animal habitats come together to create a spectacular experience.
What is its aim? Primarily, we want to make our visitors care about life in the sea. We also aim to attract 700,000 visitors a year and place ourselves within the top five attractions in Denmark. To achieve this, we’ve made learning entertaining. We provide fabulous stories about the sea through our fantastic animals, our dedicated people, digital platforms and printed material.
How many visitors have you had so far? We opened on Friday 22nd March and received 21,000 visitors in our opening weekend. On our busiest day so far, we welcomed 8,000 people.
On Mondays we stay open til 9pm. The target audience is adults without children and we’ll develop this concept further to cater to their interests.
How does Den Blå Planet differ to Copenhagen’s original aquarium? The original aquarium was spectacular when it opened in 1939, but it was worn down. It didn’t offer the framework for modern exhibitions or the service level that people expect today. Den Blå Planet is very modern and we’ll stay modern by developing and expanding.
We moved 3,000 animals from the old aquarium and added another 17,000. That shows the difference in size and scope between the two aquariums.
How did you choose the content? We wanted to exhibit some truly fascinating animals, such as the hammerhead sharks, which we know will attract visitors, but we’ve spanned the entire globe and its waters: cold as well as warm; saltwater as well as fresh.
We then worked creatively to develop some fascinating aquariums and habitats, which are designed to highlight the fascinating stories about the different animals and nature’s cycles.
What technology have you used? Digital screens by the aquariums expand the information and storytelling about the animals. We also offer an app to extend the experience with information, news and games. People can scan barcodes around the aquarium to get specific information relevant to the animals. To date, it’s the seventh most downloaded app in Denmark.
We also have dedicated personnel, who tell fascinating stories about the animals, without imposing on our guests. They’ve been very well received.
What are the environmental features? A service line was built 1.6km (one mile) into the sea to source water. This means water doesn’t need to be transported and can be circulated. As well as being used in the aquariums, we use it to cool the building. In the Amazonas area, which has a very hot and humid environment, ventilation comes from a natural circulation of air between the inside and outside of the building, rather than using energy-consuming fans and ventilators.
The Danish building laws are among the strictest in the world, so we’re very environmentally friendly in comparison to countries outside Europe.
We intend to offset our CO2-footprint as soon as our yearly electricity use has been measured.
What are the operational challenges? Sourcing, cleaning and recycling water. We do this by sourcing water from the sea and using an in-house water treatment plant. We purify and recycle the water every hour.
Another challenge is that the architecture and glass of the aquariums have to withstand the pressure of the water. The Plexiglas window in front of our 4.1 million litres Ocean Tank is 46cm (1.5ft)-thick.
Why did you choose 3XN’s design? The architecture is stunning – it has an international level that makes the building an experience in itself. The whole idea of the whirling architecture pulling our guests under water fits the overall story we want to tell – of visiting a wet world that’s so different to ours.
In addition to this, the design’s organic shapes are built to allow future expansion of the aquarium.
How did you choose the aquarium’s location? After negotiations with the municipality of Taarnby, we were offered this piece of land. It lies in a perfect spot – it’s close to Copenhagen Airport and the route of cruise ships and it’s easy to reach by Metro, train and car.
What educational programmes do you offer? We have an extensive educational programme, ranging from pre-schoolers to high school students, and anticipate receiving 50,000 visitors per annum.
Students are able to get close to the animals and examine them and their environment in different ways.
What other amenities are there? We have a restaurant rooted in the Nordic kitchen, which focuses on fresh fish and shellfish, plus a shop selling souvenirs and toys.
What research and conservation does Den Blå Planet do? Research is high on our agenda. We work with universities and researchers from Denmark and abroad on a range of projects and are about to begin a survey of the marine animals in the sea just outside of the aquarium. We’ve also begun a research project with poisonous sea snakes from New Guinea.
Which aspect of the aquarium are you happiest with? I love the whole feeling of being in the aquarium: it’s a unique setting. But the best thing is how well it’s been received – everyone else seems to love it too.
The suppliers
Client: Bygningsfonden Den Blå Planet Architect and consultant: 3XN A/S Consulting engineers: Moe & Brødsgaard A/S Consultant, landscape: HJ Landskab A/S Consultant, exhibition: Kvorning design & kommunikation Large constructions: MT Højgaard, Hoffmann A/S, Kai Andersen A/S, E. Pihl & Søn A/S Aquarium technique, total construction: AAT Advanced Aquarium Technologies Landscaping: HJ Landskab Client consultant: PLH Arkitekter A/S
costs & size
Costs: DKK730m (US$126m, £82.8m, E98m) Gross area: 10,000sq m (107,600sq ft), including 5,000sq m (53,820sq ft) of exhibition space Outdoor area: 2,000sq m (21,530sq ft) plus a parking area for 200 vehicles, totalling parking for 575 vehicles
Head Designer of Den Blå Planet
Lighting and sound have been used to give visitors the illusion of being beneath the sea when inside the aquarium
Kim Herforth NielsonHead Designer of Den Blå Planet3XN
What is the design? Our inspiration for the design was water. After weeks of brainstorming, we eventually decided to shape the building like a whirlpool, pulling people into a world beneath the surface of the sea.
As it’s located next to Copenhagen Airport, people look down on the roof when they land and take off, so how it looks from above is very important.
From a distance, the building has the same propeller shape that a whirlpool has, but it’s an abstract shape that takes on other images, such as a whale, when you get nearer. The façade is covered with small, diamond-shaped aluminium plates, known as shingles, which resemble a fish’s scales up close.
What’s the internal design? The inside is the same shape as the outside, so it’s like being underwater on the big waves. We want the building to be a part of the experience, so we’ve spread light on the walls and ceiling to resemble reflections and used sound to add to the feeling of being underwater.
Visitors come into a circular foyer in the centre, then choose a river, lake or ocean to explore in the aquarium.
Attractions include a large, hot water tank for the tropical fish and the sharks, with a tunnel where visitors can walk through the water.
Most of the areas are fairly dark, as the only light comes from aquariums, but there’s a lot of light in the tropical Amazonian forest. Visitors can walk underneath the forest and look into the water to see the piranhas and other fish.
What was your original brief? To make an interesting, iconic building for the sea elements. Our building has a very clear story – it’s not just a big installation for fish.
One of the points in the brief was the ability to extend the building by at least 30 per cent in the future, as at some point the operators will build a large tank for whales. With our whirlpool shape, they can add on to it as much as they want because it never ends.
We won the bid four years ago, so it’s been quite a speedy process. We had two years to do the drawings and tendering and then two years to build. It’s been a very smooth process.
What were the design challenges? There are 53 aquariums and displays, containing seven million litres of water and 20,000 sea animals. Also, there’s a lot of technology in the building and as many square metres underneath and on top of the public spaces, which are laboratories for cleaning the water and preparing it. It was a big challenge to contain all this within the building.
So much has been done to get the animals’ environments right. We’ve worked with specialists Advanced Aquarium Technologies to ensure they have the correct lighting, amount of water and size tanks.
Another difficulty is that it’s a very aggressive environment, with salt water and damp, so it was difficult to make a construction that can be upstanding and sustainable for a long time, both inside and out. The building is on the tip of the water and in winter it’s freezing and very windy, so it’s a challenging place to build in every way. It wasn’t just about solving each problem physically – we also had to solve them within budget, which was the real challenge.
What’s in the outdoor areas? The design didn’t stop with the building – it spread to the outside. Moe & Brodsgaard designed the overall planning and layout of the external areas. The building extends beyond the original coastline, so visitors can look out across the sea from inside the aquarium. There’s a lake with carps and sea lions and a 15m (49ft)-high display of the Faroe Islands’ bird cliff, which is home to many birds, including puffins. Siki sharks, halibuts and catfish swim in the sea beneath. There are also outdoor play areas, picnic sites and a pond.
Bushes have been planted around the car park, so in time the cars won’t be visible. The building is lifted up from the landscaping so it gets all the focus.
What materials did you use? The building is clad with raw, aluminium shingles, which reflect the sky in the same way water does. When you see the building from the air it looks white because it reflects the sunlight. From ground level it’s the colour of the sky. In the evening, the sunset turns it yellow.
Inside, the décor is very simple concrete and plaster in dark grey so it doesn’t compete with the aquariums – the focus is on the fish.
What have been the construction challenges? Because the building’s a morph shape, we couldn’t put any radius or diameters into it, so there’s no repetition in the shape. We tried many building styles before settling on a fairly traditional method of creating a few frames that have the outside shape, in the same way a wooden boat’s built. We then clad it with raw aluminium shingles.
What are you most proud of? I’m particularly proud of how flexible and unusual the shape is and how it takes up all the different challenges. We borrowed the whirlpool shape from nature and there’s a reason nature makes its shapes the way it does – nature is very flexible.
A good building needs a good client. The foundation that sponsored the aquarium has been really collaborative and professional. That’s why this project has been a success.
Designing a building that contains seven million litres of water, is comfortable for the inhabitants, can withstand aggressive elements and looks good were the challenges facing 3XN
Kim Herforth Nielson
The content – from the tropics to the poles Den Blå Planet’s seven zones offer a complete experience of life in fresh and saltwater across the earth to entertain and educate about environment and nature Ocean tank The largest aquarium is a four million-litre basin hosting hammerhead sharks, rays, moray eels and hundreds of small fish.
Visitors can experience the animals at close range through a 16m- (52ft)-long acrylic tunnel below the water and from a 16m x 8m (52ft x 26ft) amphitheatre.
Africa’s lakes Showcasing the diversity of life in Africa’s greatest lakes – Victoria, Tanganyika, and Malawi. The aquariums’ granite rock, sand, rock and canoes have been selected and collected in Africa. In addition to colourful fish, visitors can see dwarf crocodiles, sump turtles and the big Nile crocodile.
Coral reefs This huge aquarium displays colourful fishes of many species living in and by the corals. The variety of animals are separated into four aquariums, which are invisible to the human eye. In the centre are the living corals, on either sides are coral eating fish and at the back are reef predators, such as bass, Napoleon fish and sharks.
Faroe Islands A 15m (49ft)-high display of the Faroe Islands’ bird cliff is home to puffins, siki sharks, halibuts and catfish.
Sea lion Outside the Blue Planes, a lake features carp and sea lions, which can be viewed both inside and outside.
Amazonas The world’s longest river, the Amazon, holds an incredible wildlife, which is on display in the large rain forest hall. As well as free-flying birds and butterflies, the rain forest hall has four large aquariums, which can be looked at from both above and beneath to see giga arapaimas, red tailed catfish and a cousin to the piranha, the omnivorous pacu. Europe’s largest colony of 3,000 piranhas, plus a male and female anaconda, inhabit the area close to the great waterfall.
The Cold Waters Sea animals from the cold environments around the planet are featured, including a school of herring.
The coral reef is protected from predators with invisible walls
The largest species on display is a hammerhead shark
CEO Dorte Gleie
Sea Lions
Bluestreak cleaner wrasse
Leafy seadragons
Sea lions, bluestreak cleaner wrasse and leafy seadragons are among the amazing creatures living at Den Blå Planet
Visitors can learn more about the animals by downloading an app and scanning barcodes around the aquarium
The aquarium had 21,000 visitors in its opening weekend. An annual attendance of 700,000 is expected
The sea animals and the tank’s contents have been sourced from around the world
The building’s façade is covered with small aluminium plates to reflect the sky and resemble a fish’s scales up close
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Taylor Made Designs
Taylor Made Designs (TMD) has been supplying the Attractions, Holiday Park, Zoos and Theme Park mark [more...]
Red Raion
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Inspired by the shape of water in endless motion, Denmark’s new National Aquarium, Den Blå Planet, is shaped like a great whirlpool, waiting to pull visitors in to see its 20,000 sea animals. The CEO and designer describe the attraction
By Kathleen Whyman | Published in Attractions Management 2013 issue 2
The building’s propeller shape resembles a whirlpool
What makes Den Blå Planet different? Physically, it’s the size. With 20,000 animals (and 450 different species), 53 aquariums and seven million litres of water, we’re the biggest and most modern aquarium in Northern Europe.
Emotionally, it’s the way the architecture, the aquarium and the animal habitats come together to create a spectacular experience.
What is its aim? Primarily, we want to make our visitors care about life in the sea. We also aim to attract 700,000 visitors a year and place ourselves within the top five attractions in Denmark. To achieve this, we’ve made learning entertaining. We provide fabulous stories about the sea through our fantastic animals, our dedicated people, digital platforms and printed material.
How many visitors have you had so far? We opened on Friday 22nd March and received 21,000 visitors in our opening weekend. On our busiest day so far, we welcomed 8,000 people.
On Mondays we stay open til 9pm. The target audience is adults without children and we’ll develop this concept further to cater to their interests.
How does Den Blå Planet differ to Copenhagen’s original aquarium? The original aquarium was spectacular when it opened in 1939, but it was worn down. It didn’t offer the framework for modern exhibitions or the service level that people expect today. Den Blå Planet is very modern and we’ll stay modern by developing and expanding.
We moved 3,000 animals from the old aquarium and added another 17,000. That shows the difference in size and scope between the two aquariums.
How did you choose the content? We wanted to exhibit some truly fascinating animals, such as the hammerhead sharks, which we know will attract visitors, but we’ve spanned the entire globe and its waters: cold as well as warm; saltwater as well as fresh.
We then worked creatively to develop some fascinating aquariums and habitats, which are designed to highlight the fascinating stories about the different animals and nature’s cycles.
What technology have you used? Digital screens by the aquariums expand the information and storytelling about the animals. We also offer an app to extend the experience with information, news and games. People can scan barcodes around the aquarium to get specific information relevant to the animals. To date, it’s the seventh most downloaded app in Denmark.
We also have dedicated personnel, who tell fascinating stories about the animals, without imposing on our guests. They’ve been very well received.
What are the environmental features? A service line was built 1.6km (one mile) into the sea to source water. This means water doesn’t need to be transported and can be circulated. As well as being used in the aquariums, we use it to cool the building. In the Amazonas area, which has a very hot and humid environment, ventilation comes from a natural circulation of air between the inside and outside of the building, rather than using energy-consuming fans and ventilators.
The Danish building laws are among the strictest in the world, so we’re very environmentally friendly in comparison to countries outside Europe.
We intend to offset our CO2-footprint as soon as our yearly electricity use has been measured.
What are the operational challenges? Sourcing, cleaning and recycling water. We do this by sourcing water from the sea and using an in-house water treatment plant. We purify and recycle the water every hour.
Another challenge is that the architecture and glass of the aquariums have to withstand the pressure of the water. The Plexiglas window in front of our 4.1 million litres Ocean Tank is 46cm (1.5ft)-thick.
Why did you choose 3XN’s design? The architecture is stunning – it has an international level that makes the building an experience in itself. The whole idea of the whirling architecture pulling our guests under water fits the overall story we want to tell – of visiting a wet world that’s so different to ours.
In addition to this, the design’s organic shapes are built to allow future expansion of the aquarium.
How did you choose the aquarium’s location? After negotiations with the municipality of Taarnby, we were offered this piece of land. It lies in a perfect spot – it’s close to Copenhagen Airport and the route of cruise ships and it’s easy to reach by Metro, train and car.
What educational programmes do you offer? We have an extensive educational programme, ranging from pre-schoolers to high school students, and anticipate receiving 50,000 visitors per annum.
Students are able to get close to the animals and examine them and their environment in different ways.
What other amenities are there? We have a restaurant rooted in the Nordic kitchen, which focuses on fresh fish and shellfish, plus a shop selling souvenirs and toys.
What research and conservation does Den Blå Planet do? Research is high on our agenda. We work with universities and researchers from Denmark and abroad on a range of projects and are about to begin a survey of the marine animals in the sea just outside of the aquarium. We’ve also begun a research project with poisonous sea snakes from New Guinea.
Which aspect of the aquarium are you happiest with? I love the whole feeling of being in the aquarium: it’s a unique setting. But the best thing is how well it’s been received – everyone else seems to love it too.
The suppliers
Client: Bygningsfonden Den Blå Planet Architect and consultant: 3XN A/S Consulting engineers: Moe & Brødsgaard A/S Consultant, landscape: HJ Landskab A/S Consultant, exhibition: Kvorning design & kommunikation Large constructions: MT Højgaard, Hoffmann A/S, Kai Andersen A/S, E. Pihl & Søn A/S Aquarium technique, total construction: AAT Advanced Aquarium Technologies Landscaping: HJ Landskab Client consultant: PLH Arkitekter A/S
costs & size
Costs: DKK730m (US$126m, £82.8m, E98m) Gross area: 10,000sq m (107,600sq ft), including 5,000sq m (53,820sq ft) of exhibition space Outdoor area: 2,000sq m (21,530sq ft) plus a parking area for 200 vehicles, totalling parking for 575 vehicles
Head Designer of Den Blå Planet
Lighting and sound have been used to give visitors the illusion of being beneath the sea when inside the aquarium
Kim Herforth NielsonHead Designer of Den Blå Planet3XN
What is the design? Our inspiration for the design was water. After weeks of brainstorming, we eventually decided to shape the building like a whirlpool, pulling people into a world beneath the surface of the sea.
As it’s located next to Copenhagen Airport, people look down on the roof when they land and take off, so how it looks from above is very important.
From a distance, the building has the same propeller shape that a whirlpool has, but it’s an abstract shape that takes on other images, such as a whale, when you get nearer. The façade is covered with small, diamond-shaped aluminium plates, known as shingles, which resemble a fish’s scales up close.
What’s the internal design? The inside is the same shape as the outside, so it’s like being underwater on the big waves. We want the building to be a part of the experience, so we’ve spread light on the walls and ceiling to resemble reflections and used sound to add to the feeling of being underwater.
Visitors come into a circular foyer in the centre, then choose a river, lake or ocean to explore in the aquarium.
Attractions include a large, hot water tank for the tropical fish and the sharks, with a tunnel where visitors can walk through the water.
Most of the areas are fairly dark, as the only light comes from aquariums, but there’s a lot of light in the tropical Amazonian forest. Visitors can walk underneath the forest and look into the water to see the piranhas and other fish.
What was your original brief? To make an interesting, iconic building for the sea elements. Our building has a very clear story – it’s not just a big installation for fish.
One of the points in the brief was the ability to extend the building by at least 30 per cent in the future, as at some point the operators will build a large tank for whales. With our whirlpool shape, they can add on to it as much as they want because it never ends.
We won the bid four years ago, so it’s been quite a speedy process. We had two years to do the drawings and tendering and then two years to build. It’s been a very smooth process.
What were the design challenges? There are 53 aquariums and displays, containing seven million litres of water and 20,000 sea animals. Also, there’s a lot of technology in the building and as many square metres underneath and on top of the public spaces, which are laboratories for cleaning the water and preparing it. It was a big challenge to contain all this within the building.
So much has been done to get the animals’ environments right. We’ve worked with specialists Advanced Aquarium Technologies to ensure they have the correct lighting, amount of water and size tanks.
Another difficulty is that it’s a very aggressive environment, with salt water and damp, so it was difficult to make a construction that can be upstanding and sustainable for a long time, both inside and out. The building is on the tip of the water and in winter it’s freezing and very windy, so it’s a challenging place to build in every way. It wasn’t just about solving each problem physically – we also had to solve them within budget, which was the real challenge.
What’s in the outdoor areas? The design didn’t stop with the building – it spread to the outside. Moe & Brodsgaard designed the overall planning and layout of the external areas. The building extends beyond the original coastline, so visitors can look out across the sea from inside the aquarium. There’s a lake with carps and sea lions and a 15m (49ft)-high display of the Faroe Islands’ bird cliff, which is home to many birds, including puffins. Siki sharks, halibuts and catfish swim in the sea beneath. There are also outdoor play areas, picnic sites and a pond.
Bushes have been planted around the car park, so in time the cars won’t be visible. The building is lifted up from the landscaping so it gets all the focus.
What materials did you use? The building is clad with raw, aluminium shingles, which reflect the sky in the same way water does. When you see the building from the air it looks white because it reflects the sunlight. From ground level it’s the colour of the sky. In the evening, the sunset turns it yellow.
Inside, the décor is very simple concrete and plaster in dark grey so it doesn’t compete with the aquariums – the focus is on the fish.
What have been the construction challenges? Because the building’s a morph shape, we couldn’t put any radius or diameters into it, so there’s no repetition in the shape. We tried many building styles before settling on a fairly traditional method of creating a few frames that have the outside shape, in the same way a wooden boat’s built. We then clad it with raw aluminium shingles.
What are you most proud of? I’m particularly proud of how flexible and unusual the shape is and how it takes up all the different challenges. We borrowed the whirlpool shape from nature and there’s a reason nature makes its shapes the way it does – nature is very flexible.
A good building needs a good client. The foundation that sponsored the aquarium has been really collaborative and professional. That’s why this project has been a success.
Designing a building that contains seven million litres of water, is comfortable for the inhabitants, can withstand aggressive elements and looks good were the challenges facing 3XN
Kim Herforth Nielson
The content – from the tropics to the poles Den Blå Planet’s seven zones offer a complete experience of life in fresh and saltwater across the earth to entertain and educate about environment and nature Ocean tank The largest aquarium is a four million-litre basin hosting hammerhead sharks, rays, moray eels and hundreds of small fish.
Visitors can experience the animals at close range through a 16m- (52ft)-long acrylic tunnel below the water and from a 16m x 8m (52ft x 26ft) amphitheatre.
Africa’s lakes Showcasing the diversity of life in Africa’s greatest lakes – Victoria, Tanganyika, and Malawi. The aquariums’ granite rock, sand, rock and canoes have been selected and collected in Africa. In addition to colourful fish, visitors can see dwarf crocodiles, sump turtles and the big Nile crocodile.
Coral reefs This huge aquarium displays colourful fishes of many species living in and by the corals. The variety of animals are separated into four aquariums, which are invisible to the human eye. In the centre are the living corals, on either sides are coral eating fish and at the back are reef predators, such as bass, Napoleon fish and sharks.
Faroe Islands A 15m (49ft)-high display of the Faroe Islands’ bird cliff is home to puffins, siki sharks, halibuts and catfish.
Sea lion Outside the Blue Planes, a lake features carp and sea lions, which can be viewed both inside and outside.
Amazonas The world’s longest river, the Amazon, holds an incredible wildlife, which is on display in the large rain forest hall. As well as free-flying birds and butterflies, the rain forest hall has four large aquariums, which can be looked at from both above and beneath to see giga arapaimas, red tailed catfish and a cousin to the piranha, the omnivorous pacu. Europe’s largest colony of 3,000 piranhas, plus a male and female anaconda, inhabit the area close to the great waterfall.
The Cold Waters Sea animals from the cold environments around the planet are featured, including a school of herring.
The coral reef is protected from predators with invisible walls
The largest species on display is a hammerhead shark
CEO Dorte Gleie
Sea Lions
Bluestreak cleaner wrasse
Leafy seadragons
Sea lions, bluestreak cleaner wrasse and leafy seadragons are among the amazing creatures living at Den Blå Planet
Visitors can learn more about the animals by downloading an app and scanning barcodes around the aquarium
The aquarium had 21,000 visitors in its opening weekend. An annual attendance of 700,000 is expected
The sea animals and the tank’s contents have been sourced from around the world
The building’s façade is covered with small aluminium plates to reflect the sky and resemble a fish’s scales up close
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