Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk

Norwalk, USA

Picture © Beyer Blinder Belle

Architects: Beyer Blinder Belle Architects

Location: 10 N Water Street, 06854 Norwalk, USA
Client: Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
Team: Richard Metsky (Partner/Partner-in-Charge), Christopher T. Cowan (Principal), Frank J. Prial Jr. (Principal), Michael Wetstone (Principal), Kimberly Cornell (Senior Associate), Cedric Araica (Associate), Mei Chu (Associate), Emma Peifer (Interior Designer)
Structural Engineer: Silman
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing: Kohler Ronan, LLC
Civil Engineering: Tighe & Bond
Exhibit and habitat designer: MIG/Portico Group
Aquatic Life Support Systems: PCA Global
Lighting: Renfro Design Group
Acoustics: Jaffe Holden
Food Service: Clevenger Frable LaVallee
Vertical Transportation: IROS Elevator Design Services
Code/Life Safety: Jensen Hughes

BBB is designing several additions to the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk to allow for expansion of marine life exhibits, a movie theater, and new entrance lobbies at the waterfront complex.

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk is housed in several historic brick industrial buildings along the Norwalk River and adjacent to the vibrant South Norwalk downtown historic district. BBB was engaged to design several new additions and renovation projects in response to the replacement of an aging railroad bridge that previously bisected the Aquarium campus. Building additions will utilize previously unoccupied portions of the Aquarium site, located away from the bridge construction area, and will improve and modernize the Aquarium’s facilities and exhibits. The contemporary design of the additions, emphasizing transparency and light, is an intentional contrast to the heavy brick walls of the existing buildings while also complementing their simple industrial aesthetic.

The new facilities will include an expanded public entrance lobby and visitor facilities; a new 30,000-gallon tank marine life exhibit; an expanded seal exhibit with a 150,000-gallon tank and a 2-level glass viewing enclosure; a new environmental biome exhibit for reptiles, amphibians, and meerkats; and a 178 seat movie theater with state of the art 4D technology. BBB has teamed with leading aquarium habitat exhibit designers and aquatic life support system engineers to execute this highly complex and specialized undertaking.