19.06: The Blue Planet: A simple building concept for spectacular geometry

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe article is about how straight steel beams are used to form the spiral‐curved building of The Blue Planet.The building's architecture was inspired by the circulating currents of a whirlpool. From the entrance, the visitor steps into the vortex of the whirlpool – the round lobby – and is drawn inside the spiral. The building's form also provides a fifth façade, which can be seen from the air and thus during the descent to Copenhagen Airport.In order to make the structure buildable and at the same time keep the cost as low as possible the curving geometry is entirely made out of straight steel beams.The steel frames consist of many steel beams and the curving geometry of the building is formed from the multiple layers of the façade, which includes both C‐profile steel elements and a series of waterproofing and insulating membranes, fiber‐cement plates and aluminum plates that are bent to generate the curved shapes. Curving consists of 33,000 identical shingle elements that fold over the surfaces provided by the C‐profiles. The profiles rest on supports, here called swords, that are arranged according to an innovative concept in lengths adapted from the frames, so the façade plates can be bent on site. The relatively heavy and dense façade system is also necessary to exclude noise from Copenhagen Airport.The only curved steel element is found in the round shape of the foyer, which is formed by a ring beam 600 mm deep. All of the curves within the aquarium's five swirling arms are created by the careful arrangement of straight steel beams that form a total of 54 uniquely shaped frames. Built‐up sections form the different standard designed steel framing elements which are all welded individually due to the variation in frames. Although each frames cross section measures 300 mm in width, the depths range from 300 to 800 mm and the spans reach up to 30 m in length. The frames within each whirlpool arm feature the same radial center, meaning if they extended far enough they would all pass through the same point. A series of steel braces, X‐shaped in design, are also positioned at strategic locations to stabilize the structure against wind and other horizontal forces.