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The environmental exhibition inside Acciona’s Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai largely avoided real aquatic animals. The Spherical Live Coral Tank was the deliberate exception: a 1,500 mm diameter living reef, placed on the visitor path so that people met a healthy coral community before they met the story of what is happening to the real ones.
Water Wonders Aquarium LLC designed and built the tank as a fully engineered custom aquarium, complete with automated life support and programmable lighting, so that live coral could stay stable inside an exhibition hall and stand as a symbol of climate change and marine fragility.
Project Overview
Water Wonders built the tank for Acciona’s Terra pavilion, combining the vessel, the reef life-support system and the lighting into a single exhibit.
Project Highlights
- A spherical live coral tank, 1,500 mm in diameter, built for a flagship Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion
- A living reef designed to symbolise ocean acidification and coral bleaching
- Automated life support with precise temperature control, protein skimmers and chemical dosing pumps
- High-intensity programmable actinic LED arrays to sustain live coral growth
- Placed on the pavilion’s narrative path, next to models of bleached, dead coral for a direct visual contrast
- Designed and built by Water Wonders Aquarium LLC in Dubai
Engineering Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | Spherical Live Coral Tank |
| Client | Acciona |
| Venue | Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai |
| Tank Form | Spherical |
| Diameter | 1,500 mm |
| Livestock | Live corals (reef display) |
| Life Support | Automated: precise temperature control, protein skimmers, chemical dosing pumps |
| Lighting | High-intensity programmable actinic LED arrays |
| Display Context | Interpretive exhibit shown alongside models of bleached coral |
Dimensions and system descriptions are taken from Water Wonders’ project records. Operating volume and equipment models have not been published.
Engineering Challenges
Keeping Live Coral Alive in an Exhibition Hall
Most of the pavilion’s displays were non-living and sculptural. This tank had to keep a living reef healthy inside a managed indoor environment, which calls for automated life support rather than a decorative filter.
Precise Temperature Control
Corals tolerate only a narrow temperature band, and the thermal stress that bleaches wild reefs is exactly what the exhibit was about. Holding the water stable was a technical requirement and a matter of credibility.
Stable Water Chemistry
Reef chemistry drifts constantly as corals grow. Protein skimmers and chemical dosing pumps were integrated so parameters could stay stable and imitate a healthy natural reef.
Light That Works for Coral
Corals rely on symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) that need specific wavelengths to photosynthesise, so the lighting had to do biological work as well as look good in a dark, atmospheric pavilion.
The Geometry of a Sphere
A spherical tank has no flat panels to hide equipment behind, and its curved surface magnifies and refracts what is inside. The tank’s form, plinth and support systems all had to be resolved together.
A Public Setting
Placed on a visitor path, the tank was seen from every side by large numbers of people, so the reef display, the lighting and the equipment had to look and perform as intended throughout the event.
Water Wonders Solution
Water Wonders treated the exhibit as a single integrated system rather than a tank with equipment attached. The 1,500 mm sphere, the reef life-support package and the lighting rig were engineered together, drawing on the same principles used in our aquarium life support systems for permanent installations.
For life support, the tank was equipped with highly precise temperature controls, protein skimmers and chemical dosing pumps, giving the live reef the stable conditions it needs. Chilling and temperature management follow the same logic described in our aquarium chiller guide for the UAE.
For lighting, programmable actinic LED arrays supplied the wavelengths that live coral and its zooxanthellae need, while also giving the reef the vivid, glowing look that carried the exhibit’s message.
Finally, the tank was positioned deliberately within the pavilion’s narrative path, so visitors could compare the thriving living reef with the bleached white coral models nearby.
Project Stages
Photographs from the project document the tank’s journey from the Water Wonders workshop to the Expo 2020 pavilion floor.
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Workshop Build and Pre-Assembly
The spherical tank and its reef display were prepared at the Water Wonders workshop in Dubai before moving to site.
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Pavilion Preparation
Site photographs show the Terra pavilion while it was still being finished, with the tank’s circular plinth and the sculptural white tubes above it taking shape.
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Installation on the Plinth
The tank was positioned on its circular white plinth by the installation team and connected to its support systems.
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Life Support and Lighting Commissioning
Temperature control, skimming, dosing and the actinic LED arrays were brought online so the reef could stabilise.
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Opening to Visitors
Once complete, the tank stood on the pavilion’s visitor route, where people gathered around it to look closely at the reef.
Materials & Technologies
Spherical Tank
A 1,500 mm diameter spherical vessel, built as a custom piece to hold the live reef display at the centre of the exhibit.
Reef Life Support
Precise temperature controls, protein skimmers and chemical dosing pumps working together to keep water parameters stable.
Actinic LED Lighting
High-intensity, programmable LED arrays supplying the wavelengths live corals need to photosynthesise and grow.
Live Coral Aquascape
Live corals arranged on reef rockwork inside the sphere, designed to read clearly from all sides of the plinth.
Why Live Coral Told the Story Better
Project Outcome
The Spherical Live Coral Tank gave the Terra pavilion a living counterpoint to its models of bleached coral. Placed on the visitor route, it showcased the vibrancy of a healthy reef and let visitors compare it directly with what rising carbon emissions and ocean temperature spikes can do to real reefs.
The project also shows how a purpose-built life-support system allows live coral to be displayed in conditions far from a natural reef. The same engineering approach applies to hotel lobbies, restaurants, offices and private residences – see our guide to commercial aquariums in Dubai.
Why Choose Water Wonders
Water Wonders has designed and built custom aquariums in Dubai since 2001, working from an 8,000 sq ft workshop in Dubai. Clients benefit from a single team that handles tank design, fabrication, life support, lighting and installation – the same integrated approach used for the Expo 2020 exhibits and for landmark builds such as the Adidas Liquid Billboard. Browse more in our portfolio or read how we build aquariums in our Dubai workshop.
This tank is one of two Expo 2020 exhibits Water Wonders built for the Terra pavilion. See the Expo 2020 Terra pavilion overview and the Expo 2020 jellyfish display tank.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Spherical Live Coral Tank at Expo 2020 Dubai?
A custom spherical aquarium, 1,500 mm in diameter, built by Water Wonders Aquarium LLC for Acciona’s Terra – The Sustainability Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai. It held live coral and was designed as a symbol of ocean acidification, coral bleaching and marine fragility.
Who built the coral tank for the Terra Sustainability Pavilion?
Water Wonders Aquarium LLC, a Dubai-based custom aquarium builder, designed and built the tank for Acciona, the company behind the Terra pavilion.
How large is the spherical coral tank?
The tank is 1,500 mm (1.5 metres) in diameter.
Why was a live coral tank used when the pavilion mostly avoided real animals?
The pavilion relied largely on sculptural and symbolic elements to make its environmental point. The live coral tank was the exception: a living reef gave visitors something real to compare with the nearby models of bleached, white coral, which made the message about rising ocean temperatures and carbon emissions far more tangible.
What life support systems keep a live coral tank stable?
This tank used automated life support with precise temperature control, protein skimmers and chemical dosing pumps to hold water parameters stable and mimic a healthy natural reef. For the principles behind these systems, see our guide to aquarium life support systems.
How was the coral lit?
The tank was fitted with high-intensity, programmable actinic LED arrays. Corals depend on symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae, which need specific light wavelengths to photosynthesise, so the lighting was specified for coral growth as well as visual effect. Our aquarium lighting guide explains how reef lighting works.
How much water does the spherical tank hold?
Water Wonders has not published an operating volume for this tank. For reference only, a completely full sphere of 1,500 mm diameter has a geometric volume of about 1.77 cubic metres (roughly 1,770 litres); the real figure depends on the water level and the rockwork inside.
Can Water Wonders build a spherical or round aquarium for my project?
Yes. Water Wonders designs and builds custom aquariums in a range of shapes, including round and cylindrical formats, for commercial, hospitality and private clients across Dubai and the UAE. Start with our custom aquarium service or the cylinder and column aquarium guide.
Can a reef aquarium be installed in a hotel, office or villa?
Yes, provided the life support, lighting and maintenance are planned from the start. See our guides to sustainable reef aquariums and commercial aquariums for hotels, restaurants and offices.
How do I start a custom aquarium project with Water Wonders?
Send us your space, size and budget through the quotation request form or contact us directly. Our team will advise on design, life support and installation.
Planning a Custom Aquarium or Reef Display?
From concept to handover, Water Wonders delivers custom aquariums and reef displays across Dubai and the UAE, built to the same standard as the Expo 2020 exhibits.
Project Media
