A new aquarium would provide a focal point for Dunedin residents to enjoy their harbour.

The Dunedin waterfront and Harbour Basin represent an opportunity for urban regeneration, with the potential to be a public space for groups from all walks of life. Architecture student Hayley Wright suggests an aquarium would be a wonderful contribution to redevelopment of this industrial/wharf storage precinct, giving people the opportunity to experience Dunedin's local marine life and see the harbour in a different way. 

Hayley's concept design for this aquarium includes a main building with a street frontage inspired by the design of the recently demolished sheds. A cafe would be partially suspended out over the water, with a full floor to ceiling glazed wall, and a glazed floor over an aquarium tank. Hayley suggests including a play area and facilities for school trips. A rock pool environment would encourage touch and play. 

A bouyant pontoon would be held in place by steel poles driven into the seabed, moving up and down with the tides. The pontoon would be accessible via ramps from the main building and provides visitors with the opportunity to walk around the aquarium tanks. Inside the building, a shaft would take visitors down to look under the surface of the water, to see their local aquatic environment.

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