Custom Column Design Makes Waves in Georgia Aquarium’s New Shark Exhibit

Making a splash within Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium—the largest indoor aquarium in the world—is the exciting new Sharks! Predators of the Deep gallery. After a two-year renovation, visitors can now learn about and come face to face with the fierce fish while enjoying an immersive underwater experience through creative interior design.

Setting the tone for the new exhibition upon entry are nine engraved columns created by Oakland, California-based metal experts Móz Designs that add to the unique deep-sea gallery and reflect the organic flow of the ocean. Specified by St. Louis-based firm PGAV Destinations, each engraved column is etched with a wave-like pattern and washed in a custom blue paint and shimmering iridescent topcoat, providing visitors with serene sea vibes.

“We enjoyed the challenge of transforming solid metal into organic wave-like columns for Georgia Aquarium,” said Móz Designs co-founder Tripp Sandford. “Applications like this truly demonstrate all the things you can do with all of our metal options.”

The Current-patterned columns were designed to be reminiscent of sea kelp with their wavy engraved texture and glisten like sunlight reflecting off the ocean. Especially crafted for the underwater aesthetic, Móz created a custom Aqua Blue Gloss complete with etched silver pinstripes and a hand grain finish to imitate the columns’ aquatic surroundings.

“Our Current engraving paired with this ocean blue color embodies the underwater theme that patrons of the space are immersed into upon entry,” Sandford added. “It puts them into a mystical space that gets their wonder and amazement going as they enjoy the ocean creatures on display.”

Produced in Móz’s Oakland factory, each column arrived ready for installation, saving precious time in the field. Sandford noted that Móz’s columns are designed with the ease of installation in mind and don’t require any special tooling or know-how to install over a basic column surround.

Móz column covers utilize signature Móz colors and grains and are available in solid, laser cut and perforated metal. Designers can choose from a variety of standard shapes and sizes—including round, square and oval.

As Sandford put it: “These types of features add to the experience and leave customers talking. Columns can be viewed at all angles of a space and are able to give dimension and depth to large open spaces.”

Designed to accommodate Georgia Aquarium’s 2 million visitors per year, the nine columns were built to withstand high traffic and heavy-duty cleaners, especially as more Americans resume indoor activities throughout this year. Rolled from 0.090-inch solid-core aluminum and spanning more than 14 feet high, the columns are ready to support attendees while maintaining a good-as-new appearance.