The design “…was a combination of a lot of different aquariums,” says Sean Putney, the Zoo’s executive director and CEO. “We traveled to and brought back many ideas from other exhibits to create an enjoyable experience for anyone visiting here. We wanted a wide variety of animals that people would appreciate and [also] tell good stories. The sea otters are officially owned by the U.S. government and abandoned by their mom, and they have become ambassadors for the species.”

Multiple firms nationwide collaborated to bring this incredible aquarium to life. EHDD Architecture and El Dorado Architects—based in San Francisco and Kansas City, respectively—designed and implemented the project. Meanwhile, Seattle-based Studio TJP created the sea-animal infrastructure, and the aquarium specialists from Space Haus in Chicago designed the animal exhibits.

“El Dorado projects positively impact people’s lives,” says local architect and firm partner David Dowell, who has been friends with EHDD’s CEO, Jennifer Devlin-Herbert, since attending grad school at UC Berkeley. “A major aquarium in the middle of North America has incredible potential to inspire and educate about the important role oceans play in regulating a healthy environment. Now, everyone in the region has an opportunity to understand this connection.”