The new Cetaceans Pavilion of Acquario di Genova (Genoa’s Aquarium) is an educational and experiential journey that leads visitors on the discovery of the Pelagos Sanctuary – the Mediterranean waters that are the most densely populated by cetaceans, protected by an agreement between Italy, Monaco and France.

The setup project we designed with TODO creates a complex exhibition system in which a variety of media come together in harmony to tell stories across different spaces, integrating the thrill of an immersive experience with the precision of scientific information.

The outcome is an itinerary with great visual rhythm, where visitors are surprised by unexpected points of view. Animals are the sole protagonists at the new Cetaceans Pavilion, immersed in an environment of dynamic balance between elements of historical and scientific culture and personal stories, passion for research and in-depth information about marine biology.

The emerging part of the submerged pavilion designed by
Renzo Piano for the Genoa Aquarium in the basin of Porto
Vecchio is a slender, transparent walkway over the water,
just three metres high and 30 metres long; it is bordered at
each end by small towers and is located between the main
museum building and the Grande Nave Blu [Great Blue Ship] of
Biodiversity. Visitors can observe the evolution of the dolphins
through the uninterrupted windows along the waterway and
continue exploring the exhibition pool in an underwater tunnel.
Built in the shipyards in La Spezia and Voltri, the amphibious
building was towed here; to be able to face such conditions,
the steel and glass structure had to be special: resistant to the
aggressions of the sea, light and not too bulky for transport
whilst also being strong, secure and able to house the public.
Slim, essential, robust and inalterable, the OS2 65 steel
profiles, which were also used for the emergency exits,
passed this test with flying colours.