Architecture
The architect was Erling H. Pedersen. His design reflected the influences both International architecture and Postmodern architecture. The materials of concrete, steel and glass blended to support a cold Sea like environment. The multi glass door entrance was doubled to prevent escape of both heat and cool air in the summer. The exterior of the building was composed of concrete sections of offset angled panels, porticos with multi-colored and multi-textured tiles and adorned with wave shaped canopies symbolizing the ocean. The colors of cream-yellow and green predominate. The floors of the building were terrazzo. The site plan had three distinct sections composed of a one-floor pavilion building with two interior sections estimated at 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2) and an outdoor natural ocean grounds section:
- Wonders of the Sea
The open spacious entrance had along the left side a huge unique two-story shaped circular 155,000 gallon fresh water tank that visitors could walk around on a ramp to view a community of various fish and also view the exhibits of smaller aquarium tanks along the zig-zag wall. The floor area behind the tank was planted with tropical and semi-tropical vegetation. Across the very wide lobby was a snack bar area, souvenir shop and candy-pop-corn area.
- Theater of the Sea
Directly forward and across the entrance was an exhibition theater. The sloping depressed structure held a "fish bowl" 150,000-gallon tank, 100 by 25-foot (7.6 m), that was surrounded by 13 rows of bleachers with a capacity of 1,200 seats.
- Sea dioramas on outdoor grounds
Several in-ground pools where sea life could live all year long. The exhibited whales new home was a 100,000 gallon salt water pool, that was 50 feet (15 m) in diameter eight feet deep at the edges 12 feet (3.7 m) in the middle.
The South Philadelphia site was selected to gain a benefit from a larger development concept for the area near JFK Stadium. The area was the former site of the United States 1926 celebration, the Sesqui-Centennial an exposition of 20th-century technology and American life demolished in 1927. In the years following, ideas were percolating about a portion of the exposition grounds. It remained idle until a 1960s development plan for a modern sports and entertainment complex at the apex of Broad Street and Packer Avenue was realized with the eventual demolition of the historically remembered Municipal Stadium (a last remaining structure of the Sesqui-Centennial Expo and the event site of the annual Army/Navy Game) then renamed in 1964, JKF Stadium, in honor of the then recently assassinated president John F. Kennedy. Also, in keeping with complementary entertainment venues across from the Aquarama site on the east side of Broad Street was Park Lanes Bowling alley and the South City Drive-in movie theater.
Read more about this topic: Aquarama Aquarium Theater Of The Sea
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