Located on a 17 acre man-made island, within the cultural belt, and on the lakefront of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Aquarium provides visitors a unique opportunity to experience various aquatic environments from around the world. Just a stones throw away from the central business district, the Milwaukee Aquarium embraces the Lake Michigan ecosystem while engaging the city. Within the building visitors will experience a variety of unique perspectives of the aquatic environments, as well as, encourage its guests to explore the many natural wonders outside its doors. On this urban oasis, aquarium visitors and park visitors are intermixed, creating a dynamic environment to learn and relax. The Milwaukee Aquarium is a special place that the people of Milwaukee and the world must see.
The water on the glass roof cascades down the rock walls and flows down the sloped roofs and back into Lake Michigan. Structurally, a tension cable system is preferred for its minimalist ascetic and span capabilities. Therefore three massive arches support the atrium roof by hundreds of tension cables from above as well as a minimal grid system from below. A precedent for a reflecting pool on a glass roof is Oasis 21 in Nagoya, Japan.
Summer
In the summer the atrium roof is covered with a couple inches of water creating a reflecting pool above. This reflecting pool prevents some sunlight from penetrating into the space, thus reducing heat absorption into the atrium space. Also the water on the roof is pumped from Lake Michigan, this cool water creates a blanket of cool ambient air underneath the glass, this air then starts to sink, thus cooling the atrium space below.
Winter
In the winter the water is removed from the roof due to freezing allowing full penetration of sunlight into the space, and allowing the space to warm up and retain heat in the stone and concrete.
The refraction of light through water creates a mesmerizing focused light patterns that change shape, direction, and movement due to the movement on the water’s surface. This is very apparent on the shallow bottoms of lakes or the shallow ocean floor.
The Milwaukee Aquarium’s glass roof atrium allows for lots of natural light to penetrate down into the space. To create the mesmerizing and always changing effect, a couple inches of water is pumped up from Lake Michigan to the top of the glass roof.
The restaurant incorporates terraced levels to allow uninterrupted views while dining.
As one progresses along the facade of the building the wall transforms from a completely horizontal ramp to a wall that inclines past vertical.
View of the South Entrance Hall and cantilevered restaurant.