zoo enclosure design the ‘bear’ facts. carl hagenbeck revolutionized zoo exhibitory by building...

Zoo Enclosure Design

The ‘Bear’ Facts

Carl Hagenbeck

• revolutionized zoo exhibitory by building his radically new “Tierpark” (Animal Park)

• His zoo was based on the concept of barless, moated exhibits

• Hagenbeck’s exhibits incorporated naturalistic simulations of geological landforms and bodies of water

• attempted to display animals in their naturally occurring social groups rather than the more typical “postage-stamp” collections of one or two animals

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• Animals• Public• Keeping Staff• Veterinary Staff• Horticulture Staff• Education Staff• Maintenance Staff

• Design, Architecture and Art Companies

• Construction Companies

• Local Community• Environment• Zoo and financially

interested groups

Stakeholders in Design

Animal Requirements

• allow the animal to find food

• allow the animal to reach water

• allow the animal to conduct itself in ways that it might in the wild (hunt prey, avoid predators)

• gives the animal enough space and simulates its natural range

• allow for temperature and climate controls necessary for the animal's health

allow the animal to find food and access water

– Investigative behaviours – using senses to locate food

– Accessibility – ease of access; position of animal; spatial dispersal of food; time spent eating

– Food manipulation/capture– Processing of food – what it does to the food

in order to ingest it– Access to water in appropriate setting

Animal Requirements

• allow the animal to find food

• allow the animal to reach water

• allow the animal to conduct itself in ways that it might in the wild (hunt prey, avoid predators)

• gives the animal enough space and simulates its natural range

• allow for temperature and climate controls necessary for the animal's health

Animal Requirements

• allow the animal to care for young

• allow the animal to deal with its young the way it does in the wild (teach them to hunt, teach them to fly)

• allow the animal to interact naturally with other animals it needs in order to survive and reproduce

Public Requirements

• Viewing• Access• Interpretation/Education• Ethical Values• Comfort• Safety• Immersion and Interaction• Enjoyment/Entertainment• Cultural and ethnic sensitivity

"Education must be fun". Interpretation must never be

formal and "school-like". Pedagogical miscellany is a bore to the man on holiday"

(Tilden 1977).

Zoo-design - Stage Setting

• (1) VET-functionalism

• (2) BIO-functionalism

• (3) DIORAMA-naturalism

•

• (4) TOTAL-naturalism

(1) VET-functionalism

Easy cleaning of the enclosures and uncomplicated daily work routines are given top priority (stainless steel, tiles etc.). There is focused on the animals’ physical health and less or not at all on the mental health.

(2) BIO-functionalism

All zoo-biological aspects are taken into consideration - the physical as well as the mental health. It is not attempted to reproduce the natural environment, it is only hinted. Occupation of the animals is highlighted, and to this end natural materials are widely used (real trunks to climb, ropes, different kinds of floor material etc.).

3) DIORAMA-naturalism

Attempts are made to create a naturalistic setting showing the animals' natural habitat within the frames of the enclosure by means of cliffs (often artificial), trees (often artificial), plants (real or artificial) etc. The veterinary aspects and the daily work routines in the enclosure (cleaning, feeding etc.) are taken into account, but they will have to adapt to the naturalistic enclosure design and not the other way round.

(4) TOTAL-naturalism

Same principle as above, but the landscape illusion is extended to include the visitor area as well.

Realism

• Advances in synthetic material

• Care with application

• Visitor distraction because of discussions concerning authenticity

• Must not detract from appreciation of the animal in relationship to natural habitat

Landscape Immersion

• Place visitors inside the animal habitat, not animal into human habitat

• Visitor leaves familiar grounds of zoo and is immersed in a simulated habitat of animals, without separation

• Use of informal views

• Create surprise and false danger

Guidelines to Immersion

• Invent an exhibit scenario

• Immerse the visitor

• Conceal all distractions from the scenario

• Animals dominate the scene

• Control views

• Species integration

Cultural Resonance

• Humans live in or near every conceivable habitat• Suggests the presence of people who live in or

near habitats• Contextually emphasises respect and value and

involvement of other cultures whilst pursuing conservation

• Logical outgrowth of realism and immersion• Must be consultative and correct• But must not overpower the overall animal

context

Enrichment/Activity based design

• First concern – animal welfare

• Must start early in discussion phase

• Enrichment should be through environmental means

• Enclosure should encourage species specific behaviour without reverting to objects of the human world

©WCS, 1991

©Zoo Hellabrunn, 1985

©Fiby, 2000

©Woodland Park Zoo, 1989

©pja architects & landscape architects, p.s., 2002

©WCS, 1991

©Matzke, 1998

©Allwetterzoo

www.worldzootoday.com

©Fiby, 2001

©Fiby, 2000

zoo enclosure design the ‘bear’ facts. carl hagenbeck revolutionized zoo exhibitory by building...

Documents

new tierpark animal

animals physical health

natural range

mental health

wild hunt prey

bodies of water

climate controls necessary

natural environment