BY GABRIELLE
Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), Copenhagen and New York based architectures, builders and designers, have proposed to make a 500-foot cylindrical observation tower part of the Seaport San Diego project.
The Seaport San Diego project is a 70-acre waterside development planned to revitalise a currently disused area of the Port of San Diego.
The hourglass-shaped tower will join 261-411 square feet of retail space, as well as offices, hotels and leisure space.
A 170,822 square-foot aquarium will be located within the tower. The aquarium, also designed by BIG, will provide visitors with the opportunity to embark on a deep-sea diving experience available for visitors, known as the OdySea San Diego.
The aquarium will also be home to a living sea carousel, a 4D movie theatre, high-tech touchscreen tanks, transparent slides in a shark exhibit, an underwater escalator and a penguin park.
A marine learning centre will provide guests with the opportunity to learn more about the marine life housed in the aquarium.
Seaport San Diego will also be home to water sport facilities, an outdoor gym, boating and swimming and a beach with volleyball.
There are plans for the tower to house a tropical rainforest butterfly habitat. ‘Butterfly Wonderland’ will provide 3D immersive nature experiences for guests.
The Seaport San Diego project is estimated to cost $2.4 billion. A formal project proposal has been submitted to the Port of San Diego and preliminary approval is expected later this year.
