Location: Chicago, IL

Client: Shedd Aquarium

Completed: 2003

Size: 13,500 Square Feet

Image Credit: Steve Hall Hedrick Blessing

Wild Reef is a story of critical dependencies between coral, reef animals, their habitats, and the people of the coral reef ecosystem living in the Philippines. The design team consulted with a community advisory committee of Pilipino Americans and led two research trips to the Philippines to determine key design concepts.

The final design of the 27,000 square foot exhibition features seven distinct rooms that explore aspects of the interdependent coral reef system. Coral, the keystone species for this ecosystem, features prominently in both the aquatic tanks and in sculptural form throughout the spaces. Tanks range in size from small focus tanks, to a 400,000 gallon tank with more than 20 sharks including blacktip, hammerhead and sandbar sharks.

While working at the John G. Shedd Aquarium, Bryan Schuetze was Lead Designer and Project Manager for the Wild Reef exhibition. His design team included exhibit designers, content developers, graphic designers, fabricators, educators, animal care experts and conservation experts. The team was augmented by consultants that produced media, computer and mechanical interactives, visitor evaluations, and costing analyses.