Winnipeg Aquarium

The complex is organized around two primary systems:

• Below Grade: A series of “black box” exhibit halls housing specimen tanks, designed for controlled environments and ease of viewing.
• Above Grade: Four large marine tanks, enclosed within sculptural “whalehead” forms. These curved, iconic volumes contain distinct exhibits accessed via ramped circulation. Their upper levels open into outdoor tanks and terrariums for marine mammals.

The four whaleheads rise from the water as monumental figures, each uniquely shaped yet unified as a family of forms. Between them, a central public plaza provides space for gathering, dining, and rest—an extension of the city’s civic life woven into the architecture.