Opened to the public on the 24th May 2019, the new Pacific Visions wing of the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California, exhibits a stunning multifaceted façade that looks almost whale like in appearance, thanks to the clever use of triple-laminated glass panels that have been fabricated using the SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer from Trosifol™.
The 29,000 ft² (2,694 m²), two-story sustainable structure − designed by San Francisco-based architecture and design firm EHDD − is fully enveloped by the 18,000 ft² (1,672 m²) glass façade. Although only one shade of blue tint has been used throughout all the panels, the different angles and the way each panel catches the light, creates a fascinating abstract effect, with dramatic night-time lighting ensuring that this effect is also visible even after dark.
Katherine Miller, senior associate at EHDD explains: “The biomorphic form of the overall structure is meant to encourage different interpretations, referencing both microscopic and monumental sea creatures. The glass surface is meant to evoke the ocean. Early in the design process we established that the surface should have three characteristics: depth, variability, and luminosity.”
