Steinhart Aquarium

Silver Award
Category: Environments
Design: Tom Hennes, Mike Shakespear, David Lazenby, Chris Cummings, and Julie Chung, Thinc Design (U.S.); Joseph MacDonald, Frank Melendez, and Julia Schleppe, Urban A&O (U.S.); Renzo Piano, Olaf De Nooyer, and Mark Carroll, Renzo Piano Building Workshop (Italy)

The central feature of the rebuilt California Academy of Sciences, the Steinhart Aquarium, showcases worldwide biodiversity. Live exhibits are complemented by specimens, multimedia displays, and diverse interactive opportunities. The Water Planet, which links the exhibition's 39 tanks with interactive media and video projections, invites visitors to explore the connection between water and life.