Work will begin later this year on the US$30m (22m euro, £19m) Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibition, the first phase of a US$150m (112m euro, £94m) expansion of the New York Aquarium in New York, US.

The 50,000sq ft (4,600sq m) Ocean Wonders exhibit will accommodate 115 species of marine animals, including more than 40 sharks.

Housed in an iconic new building and expected to be completed in 2015, the expansion will add more than 500,000 gallons of tank space to the aquariums capacity.

The design of the building and the exhibitions has been a collaborative effort led by the in-house design team at the aquarium's operator, The Wildlife Conservation Society (WSC); Seattle, US-based architects The Portico Group; and a team of consultants including Doyle Partnership. The Architect of Record is New York City-based, Edelman Sultan Knox Wood.

The expansion forms a key component of A SEA CHANGE, a 10-year partnership launched in September 2009 by the aquarium operator (WCS), the City of New York, and the Borough of Brooklyn.

Jon Forrest Dohlin, WCS vice president and director of the New York Aquarium, said: "We are creating an unforgettable experience that will celebrate the oceans and marine life, educate future conservationists, and advance WCS efforts to protect seascapes in New York and across the globe."