OCEANARIUM COMPLEX DESIGN, PUDUCHERRY

D S Rakshna Devi, Section A, 1150100515, B.Arch 5th Year

Department of Architecture, School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada

AIM : To design a oceanarium complex with built in aquatic water park facilities and
research centre.
BACKGROUND :
Oceanarium is a large seawater aquarium in which marine animals are kept for study and
public entertainment. The major difference between aquarium and oceanarium is that the
oceanarium is a large scale aquarium and aquatic mammal park. It serves as a centre for
public entertainment, education and place for scientific study. Most of the oceanarium are
located in the coastal region as they are easy for accessibility to the sea and less time for
transportation. The maintance of the oceanarium is rather difficult than the fresh water
aquariums. The change in salinity confounds the relationship between temperature acidity
and oxygen level of aquatic system and requires a complex maintenance that requires
attention so that the fisheries and other organisms are kept in a healthy state. Since the
more different variety species of fish in marine environment that freshwater system
therefore it displays a wide range of fisheries. Since saltwater environment permits holding
of sharks, rays, marine turtles as well as mammals such as whales , dolphins. Many
oceanarium make use of the ability of whales and dolphins to be trained devising shows for
the public. SIince oceanarium houses large variety of fisheries they are very much involved
in research and educational programs of universities, biological station and marine
institutes. They also provide facilities student training and experiments.
CONTEXT :
India has a coastline of 7517 km. One of the biggest compared to other countries with
Arabian sea to west, bay of Bengal to east and Indian ocean to south housing a large
number of marine fishes and aquatic life. With such vast species in the setting , people of
the country have less knowledge about them. The awareness of the ocean and its potential
is the thing most people of our don’t have proper knowledge about it. India even with
coastline doesn’t have single oceanarium to house large scale marine mammals like sharks
and dolphins. Oceanarium doesn’t only entertain the people visiting but also provides a
large scale information about the fauna under the sea. The oceanarium houses the marine
life like it has been in the sea and not in a conventional tank. It also helps in teaching us how
we can live coordination with harming and how to protect marine life and stop pollution
and dumping of waste into sea and how it affects them.
JUSTIFICATION :
With the variety of species living under water the only oceanarium only provides curiosity
for the people on the life under water is perceived and viewed. With absence of oceanarium
and lack of knowledge people tend to forget the marine life and pollute the sea. If the lack
of knowledge is fulfilled the threat to the marine life will be reduced and oceanarium
provides adequate knowledge and information along with entertainment to people to
understand the situation. The site chosen is in Puducherry which has a vast number of
internal and foreign tourists to retreat to the beauty of the city. With historical background
to the city and as an attraction to tourist the proposal will appeal to as many people and
provide entertainment and knowledge about the marine life.
SITE :
Puducherry , India.
OBJECTIVE :
To design an oceanarium with international standard to create and provide aquatic life and
knowledge about them.
To perceive the life under water the design stratergy should represent life under water as
accurate as possible with spatial understanding and sense of the place.
To integrate the design with learning a spatial understanding of the design should be
studied and integrated into the design providing library, research facilities and institutes.
To integrate the design with entertainment and attract people special facilities should be
catered to their need thereby providing knowledge and entertainment.
METHODOLOGY
• Interpretation of proposal and establishing the study scope and validity.
• Understanding the context and area of study and different material and façade
treatment and form development .
• Context validity by desktop studies of international and national examples
• Conceptualization and design process centering all users
• Design for the proposal.
• Post design analysis and conclusion
SCOPE

• As a oceanarium with entertainment water facilities people will join, motivate and
spread awareness regarding the marine life.
 • As a world class oceanarium the design will inspire the build oceanarium across the
country to provide a knowledge and entertainment.
• The site is located in Puducherry which has international tourist and Indian tourists
to visit therefore the oceanarium will also become one of the many tourist spots in
the city.
• Apart from promoting tourism, the oceanarium is to provide knowledge and facilities
to create awareness about marine environment.
LIMITATIONS

• The maintenance of oceanarium is highly important as the sea water tends to

contaminate the life if not treated properly.
• Special care must be taken such that the animals are in a safe and secure abode with
no trafficking.
• With the purpose of entertainment, knowledge and awareness should not be
forgotten and design should be implemented such that equal importance is given to
all three.
CASE STUDY :

• The blue planet national aquarium, Denmark

• The lost chambers aquarium, Dubai
• Tarapolewala aquarium, Mumbai .