DESA1002 'Continuous City' <Amanda Mei Ting Chan>

Abstract

The Tokyo International Aquarium, located in the urban districts of Tokyo, functions as a marine observatoriam, marine research lab and a public learning centre. The building is an integration of Earth's paradoxes; the unpredictable nature of the river and the controlled construction of a building. The building has an underlying theme which emphasises on movement through the exterior and interior space. It primarily promotes the diversity of sealife throughout the world. Through circulating around a large, central tank, spiralling ramps takes visitors on a journey to the world of underwater creatures. From level to level, visitors are able to experience the large array of different sea animals amongst the six continents, separated into six smaller tanks. The architecture of the Tokyo internal Aquarium focuses on the connection and integration of the exterior of the building to its interior. From the beginning of the journey into the building, visitors must travel along a glass tunnel tracing the exterior walls. The entrance path leads visitors out over the river before taking them into the aquarium. Moving through the building, visitors can have a scuba diving experience, underwater viewing through periscopes in the basement level, as well as view the aquarium's museum. The Tokyo International Aquarium allows visitors to experience a deep, underwater connection. It raises their awareness of the diversity of aquatic life and the importance of their role on Earth.