L'Oceanogràfic
Félix Candela; José María Tomás Llavador · Valencia, Spain · 2003
L'Oceanogràfic organizes a large aquarium as a landscape of separate habitats and pavilions within Valencia's City of Arts and Sciences. Opened in 2003, the complex includes thin-shell roof structures associated with Félix Candela and a broader architectural programme developed with José María Tomás Llavador. Water, planting and paths connect the individual elements rather than enclosing the institution within a single conventional museum block. For an architectural visit, pay particular attention to the shell geometry and the transition between open landscape and controlled interior environments. The aquarium's technical programme is inseparable from these changes in enclosure. Visiting: The aquarium is a ticketed attraction. Candela's thin-shell structures form part of the complex.