OdySea In The Desert Aquarium

The OdySea Aquarium is the latest addition to an emerging entertainment district adjacent to the Talking Sticks Resort and Casino on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community land in Scottsdale, Arizona. The OdySea is a high-tech, entertainment-oriented attraction, and it is the largest aquarium in the Southwest, located in the unlikely setting of the Sonoran desert.

The 3-story facility spans more than 200,000 square feet on 14 acres, and visitors move to each level via acrylic tunnels. Exhibits include Rivers of the World, American Rivers, Amazon Rivers, Shores, the Great Barrier Reef, Penguins, Sharks, Red Panda and “the Bizarre & the Beautiful,” which feature jellyfish, octopi, large king crabs and seahorses. OdySea also features behind the scenes Shark Tours, a SeaTrek Helmet Diving Experience, a Penquin Encounter.

Due to the curved nature of the building the 3D Structural Design model was hand drawn and then exported and overlayed onto the actual plans. The RAM model was then carefully adjusted until all of the members aligned precisely. Since there was no way to provide a traditional grid system or dimensions that could be used for construction, the entire building was constructed using GPS coordinates. There were no dimensioned documents for this project. Once coordinated, the REVIT model became the approved (sealed) construction document. Every fabricated member and every acrylic panel fit perfectly without fail; a testament to an professional team working together, utilizing advanced technology and construction techniques, to achieve something amazing.

BUILDING FEATURES

• Building: One, 3-Story
• Carousel Theater: 80 Foot Diameter, 550-Seats, Rotating Spin .40 rpm
• Large Scale Aquarium with over 1000 Marine Species
• 2 Million Gallons of Water for Exhibits
• 25 Concrete Aquarium Tanks, 9 Tanks on the 3rd Floor that Weigh up to 1 Million Pounds Each
• 400,000 Gallon SeaTrek Tank for Underwater Scuba-type Experience on 3rd Floor
• Up/Down Escalators & Elevators Surrounded by Transparent Acrylic Tubes and Sides for Viewing Marine Life
• Lobby has 1,000 lb. Suspended Acrylic Spherical Tanks filled with Colorful Salt Water Fish
• Bathroom Fixture (sinks, counters, commodes) Views into Shark Tanks
• Building is Pie-shaped with almost No Straight Runs of Walls or Right Angles

BUILDING EXHIBITS

• Rivers of the World
• American Rivers
• Amazon Rivers, Shores
• Great Barrier Reef
• Penguins
• Sharks
• Red Panda
• The Bizarre & The Beautiful: Jellyfish, Octopi, Large King Crabs & Seahorses

SITE FEATURES

• Large Courtyard
• Water Features
• 2-Level Circular Shade Structures

STRUCTURAL SERVICES

• Comprehensive structural systems designed using 3D structural modeling software
• Value engineering
• Construction administration
• Special structural inspections

STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS

• Building Gravity System: Concrete over Steel Deck & Steel Beams, Steel Columns, Concrete Tilt Walls
• Mezzanine Gravity System: Concrete Slabs, Beams & Columns
• Lateral System: Concrete Tilt Shear Walls, Masonry Shear Walls
• Large Tank Construction: Cast-in-Place Concrete