OBSERVATION TOWER WITH AQUARIUM PROPOSED FOR SEAPORT SAN DIEGO PROJECT

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.

BIG AND TIVOLI PARTNER TO DESIGN NEW H.C ANDERSEN HOTEL IN COPENHAGEN

BY GABRIELLE

BIG, Danish architects, designers, urbanists, interior and product designers, researchers and inventors, have teamed up with Tivoli, to co-create a new development in Copenhagen’s iconic amusement park in Copenhagen.

The two Danish brands will be working on developing the H. C. Andersen Hotel project, an 18-storey addition to the 1893 Tivoli Castle, continuing Tivoli’s tradition of fusing old-world charm with visionary architecture, whilst maintaining an eco-friendly, sustainable profile.

The hotel will be situated inside Tivoli Gardens amusement park. It is named after Hans Christian Anderson, the iconic Danish fairy tale writer.

The project consists of refurbishing the 1893 Tivoli Castle, as well as renovating the 1883 Panorama Pavilion and building a new 18-storey pagoda.

Lars Liebst, Tivoli’s CEO and BIG’s founding partner, Bjarke Ingels, disclosed plans for the H. C. Andersen Hotel.

“Tivoli is a unique oasis of lush gardens and whimsical architecture in the center of Copenhagen. A truly cosmopolitan neighborhood in the heart of the Danish capital, Tivoli’s cultural and bio-diversity is unlike any other place in Copenhagen,” said Ingels.

“With a renovation of the 1893 Tivoli Castle and the addition of a new building, we have attempted to capture and accentuate the character of the existing castle, creating a new typology inspired by Tivoli’s archetypical architecture.

“A hybrid between the garden’s pagodas, pavilions and towers, our proposal builds a bridge between the city’s history and present – the nearby Rundetårn and Axel Towers – as well as the city’s archive of unrealized dreams. Past, present and fantasy unified in the heart of Copenhagen,” Ingels added.

The new pagoda will be covered in greenery and flourishing gardens, boasting a sustainable design that’s in-keeping with Tivoli’s commitment of maintaining a small an environmental footprint as possible.