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Types of Buildings & Structures — Other
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Moody Gardens Aquarium
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Galveston, TX
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| The Aquarium at Moody Gardens in Galveston was voted "The Best of 1999: Outstanding Private Building Project" by Texas Construction Magazine. Gilbane Building Company was the general contractor for the project. Western Waterproofing was an integral part of the construction team.
The main structure - a 100-foot-tall pyramid constructed of opaque blue glass covers the entry lobby atrium, office support areas and three exhibits containing some 450,000 gallons of salt water. Immediately north of the pyramid footprint is the fourth and largest exhibit, a one-million-gallon tank replicating the waters of the Caribbean.
The three tanks under the pyramid - each recreating a specific oceanic area - are 45-foot diameter, two-story water tanks. Each is constructed with 18-inch thick concrete walls and 24-inch-thick, pier-support mat slab. The Caribbean tank, 95 feet in diameter, is surrounded by walls 18 inches thick. Given the corrosive conditions created by salt water, a specially formulated "super concrete" was used to protect the reinforcing steel from corrosion and the concrete from cracking.
Western was responsible for all below-grade and plaza deck waterproofing, exhibit tank lining and expansion joint systems. The aquarium was a fast paced job with many technical challenges. Finding waterproofing materials fully compatible with chemical admixtures in the super concrete was one of them.
Collaboration between Gilbane and Western was critical, given the schedule. Despite record-breaking heat and tough technical puzzles, the Aquarium opened on time in June of 1999.
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| Architect |
Morris Architects |
| General Contractor |
Gilbane Building Company |
| Owner |
Moody Foundation |
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