Project:

Remodelling of the Aquarium:

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ANTECEDENTS

The Aquarium confronts the remodelling of the installations with excitement.

The enlargement inaugurated in 1998 had been the first step to the adaptation of the Aquarium to the new trends in aquariums sector and from this year the inflow of visitors to the Sea Palace has been spectacular turning the second museum more visited in the Basque Country.

However, this was not just the first step, at this moment the Aquarium has on the table the project of remodelling that would finish turning the equipments in a jewel adapted to the city and to the territory that is framed and ready to receive as nearby visitors as numerous tourists that come to the city to make aware to the respect of the sea.

From the beginning in 1928 the Aquarium had been an institution that has developed different slopes as the investigation of the biology, as preserve patrimony sea and marine themes and the development of a educative program adapted to each segment of the society .However the Aquarium had been from the beginning a sea Palace open to all people and institutions that wanted to participate in the popularization in the respect of the sea.

Furthermore, in the end of 2002 The Society of the Oceanographic of Gipuzkoa found Oceanographic foundation of Gipuzkoa with the purpose to establish the bases to develop ambitious project and full of illusions.

Thanks to this fact and to the support of several institutions, the project of remodelling that begin the Foundation with so much illusion, it will be not only a repair of the facilities, but it will make possible to progress in the projects in the biological and museum field, and in the educational programme created not only for visitors of the Aquarium but for the society in general.

As begin of this new stage which starts in June 2004, the Aquarium has inaugurated nine new aquariums among which stands out the jellyfish ones which attract the attention of several visitors who come to this Palace of the Sea.

Seven or those new aquariums form the area or THE ORIGIN OF THE LIFE which are made of some aquariums with a innovate shape. They are curved what make that we can appreciate with more precision the beautiful species that are displayed.

The other two new aquariums take in the sea-horses and the cold-water corals. Since few years, among other projects, the Aquarium of San Sebastian is carrying a programme of reproduction of the sea-horses through with the intention of studying them and to contribute to their conservation.

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REMODELLING PROJECT

To carry this project which will redesign definitely the facilities of the Aquarium through, the Aquarium has count on the HF ARQUITECTOS enterprise.

The project will be divided in two different phases:

PHASE I. January-December 2005:

The erection of a two-storey building, up the Aquarium's terrace against the Urgull Mountain which will accommodate our Restaurant. In the second store, it will be a room and an office for the biology's master which is been arranged in collaboration with AZTI, the University of the Basque Country and the University of Southampton which will be used to making meetings, events and so on.

The erection of the Auditorium's roof to insert/introduce an aquarium which will set up/installed as screen of the Assembly Hall. One amazing 8 metres base and 4 metres high aquarium which will give to the visitor a golden opportunity to enjoy their selves with a unique sight. A mobile screen will be placed.

Creation of 2 all-purpose rooms attached to the Auditorium where nowadays take place the shop. This rooms are made with the intention of organizing there educative workshops, giving classes of a Master's degree of Marine Biology, organizing events and meetings, temporal exhibitions and so no.

PHASE II. January 2006 - May 2008:

Reconstruction of the old building: we are going to keep the façade and we are going to empty the floors of NATURAL SCIENCES, the NAVAL MUSEUM and the DOWNSTAIRS FLOOR which housed the aquarium long time ago and which are closed 4 years ago.

The setting up of the entrance to the Aquarium by the port: the shop is situated on the entrance and we are going to create a roomy HALL which will be used as entrance and exit of the museum.

The setting up of the terrace upstairs of the Aquarium: the 2 terraces are joined saving? the drop.

Construction of an elevator which join the Port with the New Walk.

So, we are in the beginning of a new stage of the Aquarium.

During the redesigning, the facilities of the Aquarium will stay opened to the visitors and we will go offering to the customers the opportunity of knowing little by little all the news.

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