GENOA NEW CETACEANS PAVILION
2007 – 2013, GENOA, ITALY
The Cetaceans Pavilion is RPBW’s newest addition to Genoa Aquarium, and is dedicated to the study and display of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Adjacent to Genoa’s existing boat-like aquarium, this new rectangular, reinforced concrete building, 94m long and 28m wide, sits in the city’s Porto Antico. Seen from across the harbour, the pavilion’s central section appears to consist of little more than a long, low window, only a few metres above the water. This low glazed section of the building is a walkway for visitors from which the cetacean pavilion’s open-air pools can be viewed. The walkway is framed at each end by a low tower (10m and 13m respectively). The idea is to keep the building visually light that may fit with the port area without encumbering the skyline.
