Venture under the sea through the head of a whale.

London Architecture firm Baca Architects has designed a whale-shaped building as the Australian Underwater Discovery Centre. This playful marine observatory will be partially submerged in the sea in Western Australia and give visitors a stunning view of life below the surface of the water. The design will replace the existing structure to be the largest of its kind. In doing so, it will provide much needed additional space to meet the previously overwhelming tourist demand.

The unique form, which features the whale’s “head” rising out of the water, was picked for the marine observatory after a public vote between three possible concepts. “The brief set out the client’s spatial needs and a requirement to deliver something iconic which will draw tourists in,” says Richard Coutts, director of Baca Architects. This is why the three potential designs included abstractions of sea-related icons that could become an important landmark for the center. The whale breaching water, known as the Cetacean Design, beat out a somewhat submerged cave design and an abstracted ship, known as the Rock and Voyage, respectively.[…]

More: Whale-Shaped Marine Observatory Will Offer Visitors a Fascinating Look Under the Sea