AQUATIS Aquarium-Vivarium Lausanne

A UNIQUE PROJECT

AQUATIS Aquarium-Vivarium Lausanne is an exceptional project in Switzerland, entirely dedicated to aquatic ecosystems and the living world. It is a new-generation place of discovery, immersion and leisure, offering a unique, immersive experience.

More than just an aquarium and a vivarium, AQUATIS takes visitors on an extraordinary journey through our planet's most fascinating freshwater environments, with the mission of raising public awareness of the fragility of aquatic ecosystems and promoting environmental education and sustainable development.

Located in a region renowned for its expertise in water and the environment, AQUATIS stands out for its scientific, technological, cultural and sustainable dimension.

With an impressive capacity of 2 million liters, AQUATIS is Switzerland's first freshwater aquarium-vivarium. Combined with a 3-star superior hotel and conference center, it opened its doors in autumn 2017. Since then, it has welcomed nearly two hundred and fifty thousand discovery, aquatic animal and reptile enthusiasts every year, who are sensitive to the preservation of our planet.

AN EXCHANGE PLATFORM

Located in Lausanne, AQUATIS Aquarium-Vivarium is much more than just a place for entertainment. With the Aquatis Foundation, it is also an exciting platform for exchange, committed to education, ecosystem protection and sustainable development. AQUATIS aspires to become Switzerland's most important center of scientific culture dedicated to the theme of freshwater. Visitors of all ages are invited to take part in fun and educational experiences that raise awareness of current environmental issues.

The contents of the tour have been developed in close collaboration with scientists and research organizations active in the fields of species protection and conservation, the environment, water management and international cooperation.

The Foundation supports AQUATIS Aquarium-Vivarium Lausanne in its commitment to three essential missions:  

Disseminate knowledge and participate in environmental and sustainable development education.

AQUATIS offers a fascinating immersion into different freshwater environments around the world, through an interactive and educational approach.

Conserving and preserving living collections

AQUATIS houses and presents animal and plant species in accordance with the strict ethical standards of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and the code of ethics of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).

The Foundation and AQUATIS support programs to restore endangered species or safeguard fragile natural environments, through national and international collaborations.

Acquire knowledge

Collaboration with scientific circles and various organizations and NGOs enables the acquisition and sharing of knowledge on the theme of freshwater and its ecosystems.

AN EXCEPTIONAL JOURNEY

AQUATIS Aquarium-Vivarium Lausanne raises public awareness of environmental protection through a fun, immersive and interactive tour. The tour covers a total surface area of 3,500 m2 on two levels, including a permanent exhibition, a temporary exhibition hall, educational areas and a games room.

The first level is entirely devoted to the freshwater aquatic fauna of Switzerland and Europe. The route follows the Rhône River from the Alps to its mouth in the Camargue.

The exhibition is divided into 4 geographical areas: Alps, Lake Geneva, Rhône and Mediterranean. It addresses key freshwater issues such as :

• global warming and melting glaciers;
• Lake Geneva water quality;
• the importance of hydropower and micro-turbines in Europe's energy supply;
• biodiversity management in the Camargue, using the Tour du Valat nature reserve as an example.

On the second level, the transition between floors is made by crossing a space dedicated to the fascinating theme of the evolution of species. Visitors then continue their journey to discover the freshwater aquatic environments of the other continents of our planet:

• Africa and its great lakesknown for the exceptional diversity of their aquatic fauna. This area features Lake Malawi and its colorful cichlids, as well as the great African rivers.
• Asia and its mangroves with its tangle of branches plunging into the brackish water, its curious rice-fish farms and its long Mekong River.
• Oceania and its Pioneer Rivera river that flows into the Great Barrier Reef. A fragile ecosystem of great importance, enhanced by the only large seawater basin on the route.
• South America and the Amazon rainforestThe aquarium is one of our planet's most incredible reserves of biodiversity. At the center of the aquarium, a vast tropical greenhouse on two levels is home to plants, trees and animal species from the Amazon rainforest.

This tour takes the ecotourist on a world tour of freshwater ecosystems, and also looks at the major challenges of sustainable development.

AN EDUCATIONAL MISSION

Above all, the Foundation is committed to promoting environmental education and sustainable development. To achieve this, it is developing a program of educational and entertaining activities at AQUATIS.

The philosophy behind this program can be summed up as "Learning by doing", as we learn best by experimenting. That's why the program includes guided tours led by specialists in various fields (water and the environment, energy and water, ethical and social aspects), as well as an educational area for complementary workshops.

This offer is aimed at young people of compulsory school age, as well as teenagers and adults. By offering a social forum, a place where ideas can be exchanged, AQUATIS enables visitors to form their own opinions on topical issues.

To facilitate this process, the Foundation has the support of partners active in the field of education, and has designed this varied offer taking into account the new guidelines for compulsory and post-compulsory school education in Switzerland. Teachers also have access to appropriate teaching materials to help them prepare for the visit with their class.

A SUSTAINABLE PROJECT

Located in the heart of the Lake Geneva region, renowned for its expertise in water and the environment, AQUATIS is much more than a scientific and cultural project.

As an innovative interface between science, technology and the general public, the center is designed to have a significant and innovative impact on the economy, society and sustainable development:

• Economically, AQUATIS is self-sufficient thanks to user-generated resources
• Socially, it has a high public profile
• Architecturally and in its management, it minimizes its impact on the environment

AQUATIS is an innovative project:

• By integrating nature into the city, it raises public awareness of water and freshwater ecosystems, and encourages their preservation.
• It is part of a life and environmental sciences network, thanks to a number of cultural and scientific partners
• Strategically located at a transport hub, it encourages environmentally-friendly travel.
• It is built with components optimized for thermal performance and fitted with environmentally neutral fluids.
• It is connected to the district heating network, which is based on the incineration of household waste, and uses renewable energy with low greenhouse gas emissions.
• Designed for centralized building management to exploit synergies and complementarities between the metro, the parking lot, the aquarium-vivarium and the hotel, thus minimizing environmental impact.

HISTORY OF THE PROJECT

The AQUATIS project was conceived in the late 2000s by two French biologists, Morgane Labous Simunic and Frédéric Pitaval. They were joined by a Swiss museologist, Michel Etter. Backed by scientific organizations, the founders found support from Groupe Grisoni and Groupe Boas, two major players in the development of service infrastructures. In 2005, Aquatis SA (formerly AquaEcopole) won the public architectural competition launched by the City of Lausanne for the development of the Lausanne-Vennes park-and-ride facility. From the outset, the project was based on a public-private partnership model. The City of Lausanne provides a plot of land through a building lease, while the two builders finance the complex.

The Aquatis Foundation was created in 2007 to provide the project with a solid foundation and a degree of coherence. Chaired until 2024 by former National Council President Yves Christen, it is responsible for the project's scientific and educational content.

In 2008, the architectural program, designed by Lausanne architects Richter-Dahl Rocha & Associés, was put out to tender. Opposition led to a succession of administrative procedures. This was an opportunity for the founders and the Foundation's president, Mr. Christen, to revisit the fundamental objectives of the AQUATIS complex, and to bring the new concerns of sustainable development to the fore.

On November 22, 2011, following the Federal Court's decision in favor of the project, the Lausanne City Council agreed to the granting of a distinct and permanent building right. Less than two years later, the foundation stone for the complex was laid. At the end of 2013, the project was enriched by the addition of live species from the Vivarium de Lausanne, which were integrated into the plans for the future collections of the AQUATIS complex. AQUATIS Aquarium-Vivarium Lausanne opened in autumn 2018.

THE PROJECT PLAYERS

AQUATIS, an exciting and unique project, is the fruit of collaboration between public authorities and private companies. The real estate part of the project, which includes the construction of the complex, was realized thanks to a partnership between the City of Lausanne and two renowned private companies, Groupe Grisoni and Groupe BOAS.

The Aquatis Foundation, which is recognized as being in the public interest, is responsible for financing the project's aquariological and museological programs, thanks to the support of donors and sponsors. It is also responsible for the scientific and educational management of AQUATIS.

The Aquarium-Vivarium is operated by Aquatis SA, which manages the complex on a sustainable basis, without any public subsidies for its operation. The majority of revenue comes from visitors to this unique project.

Several renowned professionals worked on the project. The architectural work was carried out by the Lausanne-based firm Richter-Dahl Rocha & Associés, headed by Jacques Richter and Ignacio Dahl Rocha. Aquariology was handled by ICeau SA, a company founded by Frédéric Pitaval and Morgane Labous. Museography was entrusted to Thematis SA, headed by Michel Etter and Elsa Lacroix, while scenography was entrusted to AAB Creatime, headed by Frédéric Ravatin.

AQUATIS Aquarium-viavarium Lausanne is managed by Michel Ansermet.