The design of the world’s largest aquarium purposely breaks away from Atlanta’s street grid and its indigenous architectural aesthetic. But what goes on BEHIND the scenes? There were challenges of how to transport the fish and mammals to and from the facility, how to feed and care for them and how to incorporate the “back of house” functions into an educational experience for visitors. Spaces were pushed and pulled resulting in a final program that gently balanced the functional requirements of the building with their experiential counterparts.

Simply put: The Georgia Aquarium is the World’s most advanced Fish Bowl! Did you know:

• It is the only integration of an aquarium and veterinarian teaching hospital

• Twelve veterinarians reviewed and approved the aquarium’s veterinary services and conservation medicine program

• The cooling capacity of the HVAC system is equivalent to that used in a 50-story, 1,000,000 sf office tower or 1,200 average-sized homes

• 218 pumps use 4,160 horsepower to move 261,000 gallons of water per minute through the habitats

• Water recirculates every 85 minutes

• Extensive water processing systems encompass over 100,000 sf of space

The design of the Georgia Aquarium shifts the paradigm of what is an “aquarium” and how its visitors will interact with its inhabitants. Click here to read more about the Georgia Aquarium, or visit tvsdesign.com