The Dolphin Adventure Dome was the world's first fully submerged underwater dolphin viewing area. The Dome is 30 feet in diameter, 12 feet high and completely submerged. Fink Roberts & Petrie worked closely with the acrylic supplier and designed the stainless steel frame and concrete pedestal base slab to support the acrylic wall and dome panels. The existing performance pool base slab was also analyzed for the net 300,000 pound net buoyant force created by the underwater dome and an anchorage system was developed so not to overstress the existing pool base. Additionally, the project included a new mezzanine level within the dolphin pavilion for new dressing rooms and new ramps into one of the dolphin holding pools. These new elements are to support the new dolphin interaction program in which zoo guests enter the dolphin's environment and interact with the dolphins directly, one on one.

Project Details: Project Completion 2006