MLA provided structural engineering services for the first aquarium in St. Louis as part of a major renovation of the historic Union Station train platform. The two-story, 120,000-square-foot complex includes nearly one million gallons of new water exhibits with over 13,000 aquatic animals housed in their distinct habitats. The configuration involves five smaller tanks to explore the local ecosystems of the nearby Mississippi and Missouri Rivers; a second floor with various touch tanks as well as the upper portion of the river otter exhibit; a 250,000-gallon shark tank with curved and overhead viewing panels; and an adventure bridge that crosses the tank. 

The project had its challenges, as it needed to be constructed inside the original train shed for the world’s largest and busiest train station when it opened in 1892. MLA intentionally kept the aquarium structurally independent from the existing building to avoid potential seismic issues. While supporting all the LSS systems and basins, the innovative tank design uses watertight concrete to eliminate the cost and maintenance of a polymer liner. Due to deep, unsuitable soils, the entire project was installed on approximately 80-foot-deep micro piles that required coordination both to support the new structure and avoid existing underground conflicts. Using Revit to model all the structural, architectural, and LSS elements, in combination with several intense coordination sessions, proved necessary and valuable to address the compact nature of the project.