Protecting life underwater through an Edutainment center for promoting marine research and tourism at Goa, India.

The ocean is the greatest and the most obvious feature of the earth's surface. Approximately, about 70% of its surface is covered by water. These oceans are in turn home to numerous living species and a magnificent portion of the earth's biodiversity resides here. Not only does it constitute a massive percentage of the habitable space on our planet but also contains about the largest animals ever to have lived on Earth along with billions of the tiniest species coexisting. Healthy oceans are essential for the existence of mankind too as we rely on energy, food, and water but it is we who are causing it tremendous damage and harm. The health of the world's oceans at a global level and the marine life living under it is depleting hastily as a result of excessive human activities and occupations like fishing, pollution of the waterbodies, etc.

Conservation, experimentation, and exhibitions of marine habitats have been taking place for over four centuries now. Historically, aquariums have been in existence for at least 4,500 years as the Sumerians used artificial ponds for keeping their fish. The ancient Egyptians and the Assyrians were known to have kept records of fish keeping, although their actual purpose is unknown. The ancient Romans, kept fish in artificial ponds as a practice fed by continuous fresh seawater from channels dug in through the ocean, for breeding them, for enjoyment and market sale purpose. They are hence considered the first or primary marine aquarists. Besides the instances where goldfish were kept in glass bowls around the 170s in England, aquariums were not really successful and hence were not widely established until the discovery of the relationship between oxygen and living things about one hundred years later. Post this discovery, the study of fishes became useful in understanding the nature of the marine environment, and since then the term ‘aquarium’ was first used by the British ornithologist Philip Gosse whose work, among others brought aquatic life to the public interest. The timeline below indicates the gradual development of aquariums and oceanariums in the world.

Figure 01: Historic Timeline.    

  Reference: Created by Author.

In such a scenario occurring at a global level, it is immensely crucial to understand, sustain and safeguard the underwater bio-diversity in order to coexist in a healthful living environment. Hence, there's an inherent and implicit need for us to preserve the aquatic habitat. Around the whole world, marine species and populations are recovering through efforts and interventions made by the communities and by the government where; large areas are being established as protected zones. Different nations have adopted a series of specific targets to work together and to protect the biodiversity in the oceans, for its own sake and for the benefits it brings to people worldwide. One such sustainability development goal at the global level is ‘Life below Water’ which talks about reducing marine pollution, potentiating and restoring the ecosystems, minimizing ocean acidification, sustainable fishing practices, conservation of coastal marine areas, prohibiting subsidies from overfishing, increasing the economic benefits from the sustainable use of marine resources, increasing the scientific knowledge, research and technology for ocean health, supporting small scale fishers and implementing and enforcing international sea law which talks about enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of oceans.

The over fishing practices, lack of awareness about marine environment, pollution in the water bodies, thousands of endangered species because of the uncontrolled human activities due to increased tourism, indicate the urgency of a center that promotes awareness and research on the marine environment which can also support and act as an international tourist attraction. This amalgamation between tourism and research, requires an architectural translation in our country while throwing shade on the life below water and its protection along with an exploration into innovative design and technologies for a productive and functional end result.

Figure 02: Major problems that our oceans are facing.

Reference: https://www.treehugger.com/the-ocean-has-issues-biggest-problems-facing-our-seas-and-how-to-fix-them-4858760

India is surrounded by water on three sides and has the longest coastline in the world that is rich in marine life. Threatened by the various above-listed factors a collapse in the marine environment has come into account and has become a global issue leading to the endangering of the species below the water. No steps have been taken for preserving the ecology and research on a national level in India. Whereas there is a lack of awareness of the same too as no large-scale research centers are developed in India for the conservation of the marine residents and life that is continuously being depleted.

Goa, popularly known as ‘Tourist’s Paradise’ of our country, officially declared tourism as an industry in the year 2000. Gradually, the economic situation of tourism industry changed and today it is reckoned as one of the most dynamic and primary sectors of Goa along with the fishing, agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors. It is well known for its beaches and places of worship but it offers much more than just scenic silhouettes. The state lies on the south-western coast of India adjoining Arabian Sea on the Konkan belt. This is where over 80% of the fish variety of India comes from, and about 50% of these species are facing an elevated risk of extinction and are endangered due to long-term over-fishing which in turn is another major primary and the most practiced sector of Goa.

Figure 03: Map of Goa.

Reference: www.vecteezy.com 

As the state shares its boundary with the Arabian sea that houses the greatest number of endangered and on the verge of extinction species. It is also the prime spot for tourism with tourists coming from within the country and from international countries too. So the proposal of a Marine Research Park in Goa, consisting of an oceanarium that reflects the natural setting of an ocean, along with research and test tube laboratories for conservation, display tanks, and exhibits to educate and create awareness among locals and tourists, convention center for global conventions and summits and spaces of recreation for various activities and aquatic shows to attract tourists and a wide range of experiential spaces for enhanced user experience is an essential and a viable solution which will act a medium of preserving the marine life and resources to ensure social development, ecological conservation and also contribute towards the tourism industry.

Figure 04: Stilts of proposed experiential spaces in the Aquascape – Marine Research Park proposal at Goa, India.

Reference: Created by Author.

  This proposal would explore into the creation of an iconic architectural form that would reflect the connection between man and the ocean for the conservation and research of aquatic life along with public entertainment opportunities for tourists in Goa, contributing to the development of coastline tourism and economic development of the state by recreating a marine environment, considering how crucial and necessary it is to save the ecology and its sensitivity in nature. The Marine research park, will educate people of all age groups, types, and backgrounds about the marine aquatic life, create awareness and inform about the importance of endangered species in water and how to protect them. It shall also increase the tourism of the city and change the way the tourist interact with the environment and approach the state. Ocean, the great unifier, is man's only hope and the time to save the life below it is now hence this proposal would take us one huge step away from its depletion and one step closer to saving the humankind.

Corresponding Author:

Khwaeesh Desai

5^th-year B.Arch student at, Thakur School of Architecture & Planning,

University of Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

E-mail: khwaeesh.desai15@gmail.com

Phone: +91 9594179706

HSC in Science Stream, with 50% Aggregate and 50% Aggregate in PCM.

Qualifying Entrance Exam: NATA or JEE-Paper II

(For any details contact us)

Website: www.tsapmumbai.in

E-mail: tsap@thakureducation.org

Contact: 022-67308001/02

WhatsApp: +91-9833665446