Ecotarium

On May 12, 2005 a major component of New Songdo City’s Quality of Life initiative was finalized with the announcement of plans to build the New Songdo National Ecotarium. Located at the edge of New Songdo City’s Central Park, it will feature state of the art “aquatecture” with fresh water and marine habitats. With more than 200,000 square feet and a cost of $120 million, the aquarium will be among the most modern and innovative in the world, creating a total immersion experience for its visitors. It will serve as a wonderful educational and recreational resource for Songdo’s residents while also bringing in tourism and providing an economic boon to the entire area.

In keeping with Gale International’s strategy of partnering with best-in-class firms for New Songdo City, the ecotarium will be designed by the firm of Chermayeff, Sollogub & Poole, Inc. (CSP). Based out of Boston, CSP is the designer of some of the finest aquariums around the world including the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Osaka Aquarium, and the Oceanarium of Lisbon. Additional services, including project management, aquarium programming and exhibits, will be provided by International Design for the Environment Associates, Inc. (IDEA), a firm associated with CSP that specializes in aquarium development and management.