Cloward H2O, an expert in aquatic design, prepared design and construction documents for the indoor aquarium facility at the Kuwait Scientific Center, for both freshwater and salt-water. The attraction was completed in 1999, and the firm’s responsibilities included the design of all tanks, pools, and aquatic life support systems for the entire aquarium facility.
The centre, which was the biggest aquarium in the Middle East at the time of construction, was designed to provide environmental education, as well as reflecting Islamic arts and culture. The walls of the building contain depictions of stories that tell visitors about the city’s history.
The three main habitats of the aquarium’s learning centre are the desert of the Arabian Peninsula, the oceanic environment of the gulf’s coastal regions and the sea zone, which imitates the natural environments of the Red Sea and South African Sea.
Hands-on edutainment
The Scientific Center covers 80,000 square metres and is home to more than 100 different species. It also houses historic Dhow boats docked in an old-style harbour outside the aquarium. Highlights within the sail-shaped building include giant spider crabs, fluorescent jellyfish and floor-to-ceiling shark and ray tanks.
In the first habitat, a desert ecosystem, visitors can view owls, snakes, scorpions, kangaroo mice, beetles, and bats. Animals like the boa and otter, as well as shallow-water fish and South African penguins, can be found in the second habitat, the coastal zone. Tropical fish, jellyfish, seahorses, sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles can all be found in the third environment.
In addition, more than 50 interactive displays at Discovery Place engage learners of all ages, advancing environmental, scientific, and technological awareness. Discovery Place offers simple and fun ways to create and learn about magnetic, solar, and kinetic energies.
Guests aged 14 and over with an open-water scuba diving license can also enjoy the Dive with the Sharks programme. There is also an IMAX theatre, showing 45-minute educational videos about the natural world.
Last month, Cloward H2O presented some top tips for water park operators on how they can make their facilities greener.