Danish architects Henning Larsen won first prize in the competition.designMarine life galleryBatumiliveGeorgia.

The Batumi Aquarium is inspired by the unique pebbles of Batumi Beach – the remains of a sea that has been continuously forming for millennia. The building will be located in the Georgian port ofBatumiand will create a unique stone icon - visible from both shore and sea.



The structure is made up of four rocks which display four areas representing unique marine life types – found in the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Black Sea and the Red Sea, and finally the display area is more for interaction.

Four dispersed marine aquariums are connected by a central multi-purpose space that includes an auditorium, cafe, and retail areas with the backdrop of the Black Sea and Batumi beach. Visitors gather in the central space to meet, play, eat, shop, and relax before continuing their adventure through the exhibition halls.

The Batumi Aquarium will be a modern, cultural aquarium that will offer visitors an educational, entertaining and visually stimulating journey through the different seas. Unfolding around the building, the landscape of different sea archipelagos will offer exciting opportunities for outdoor research and learning, while also providing public spaces and meeting places along the beach.

The project's nature-inspired highlights will not only make the Batumi Aquarium a spectacular new landmark in Georgia, but also contribute an artistic work to explore life under the vast ocean.

According to Ashui