Rizhao Ocean Park: A New Dawn in Aquarium Design

Revolutionizing Marine Parks with Innovative Design and Technology

The design of Rizhao Ocean Park stands out for its unique properties. It is the world's first marine park to integrate an aquarium with a plant and bird park. Over 60% of the aquarium is bathed in natural light, a feature rarely seen in aquariums worldwide. The park also boasts a massive exhibition pool with a volume of 5,000 tons and a breathtaking sky flower sea.

The design team, Zhao Guangjun, Xiaohong Li, and Huiying Yin, have incorporated innovative design elements and technology to bring this project to life. The aquarium design includes the virtual interaction of different modules to express the dynamic tension of sea waves. The exterior is adorned with golden perforated aluminum plates, while the plant and bird park is mainly made of a glass curtain wall, resembling a leaf lying silently on a sun-drenched beach.

Rizhao Ocean Park is a leading tourist project of Rizhao, covering an area of 161.7 mu, with a total area of 49,976.58 square meters. The park, which had a total investment of 900 million yuan, features the Sunshine Aquarium and Four Season Flower and Bird Park as two highlights, along with Bird Theater, Waterfowl World, Children's Kingdom, and many other outdoor sightseeing spots.

The visiting route and water body within the aquarium are interspersed, creating a diversified exhibition space with rich content. The top side is a skylight of the spherical single-layer grid structure with a span of 40 meters, allowing for ground assembly and one-time hoisting and installation. The design team faced challenges in creating various water bodies of different shapes and forms, and unconventional structures like a Z-shaped post and batter post at the entrance of the aquarium.

The design of Rizhao Ocean Park has been recognized with the prestigious Golden A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award in 2020. This award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. They are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.

With its innovative design and unique features, Rizhao Ocean Park is not just a marine park, but a testament to the beauty and diversity of marine life, and a tribute to the generosity of the ocean. It is a shining example of how architecture and design can create immersive, engaging, and educational spaces that bring people closer to nature.