The proposed Aquarius Aquarium Institute is a 94,500 square foot Public Aquarium facility on ten acres of land on Highway 99 adjacent to the San Joaquin River in Fresno County. The Aquarium will house various aquatic animals and plants for public viewing, breeding and scientific study in variously sized aquarium tanks located both indoors, outdoors, and on a planned rooftop garden overlook.
Visitors will enter the building behind a 30 foot high by 50 foot wide waterfall from the rooftop terrace to a reflecting pond at the entry level.
The main level will have primary exhibition spaces, a theatre, open areas for kiosks and large groups of visitors, a touch pond with a facilitator, a souvenir shop, kitchen and dining facilities, and restrooms.
Exhibitions will present 30 aquatic tanks of marine animals and plants with descriptive panels and interactive displays revealing various aspects of their unique lives and habitats. The Oceanarium, a two million gallon tank, will be able to be viewed by a three-tiered amphitheatre. A 1200 square-foot kitchen will provide food and beverages to patrons seated in the dining facility (4700 square-feet) overlooking the river. The Aquarium will house a theater where seminars, videos and classes will be presented, as well as a souvenirs shop that will feature educational aquatic-themed merchandise.
The mezzanine level will house administration offices, Security, and Telecommunications. This level is for personnel and invited persons only.
The basement level provides space for mechanics, computer controls, aquatic breeding tanks, locker rooms and changing area for scuba divers, Larva Lab, fish food prep, workspace for biologists, and a Computer Control room for all aquatic tanks operations.
The fully landscaped rooftop terrace will be used primarily for exhibition, as well as for day and night events (group rentals, receptions, star-gazing).
The graceful architecture of the Aquarium will be constructed primarily of reinforced concrete and steel. Roof mounted photo voltaic panels will generate electricity and solar panels will produce hot water. Geo-thermal heat exchangers will be used for climate control. Permeable concrete will be used in the parking and drive areas to mitigate storm water runoff.
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