taun
Well-Known Member
Thanks CZjimmy, was the 2018 for the completion of Natural Vision or for just this first phase?
Chester Zoo "Superzoo"- rumours, confirmed etc...
- Thread starter brokehalo7
- Start date
Thanks CZjimmy, was the 2018 for the completion of Natural Vision or for just this first phase?
mjmorg89
Well-Known Member
The zoo's website says the rest of Natural Vision will be completed by 2018, so I expect Heart of Africa will probably take about half of that time.
I know that Randers Tropical Zoo in Denmark is planning something similar. 
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
If they keep to the original plan it will open in phases and if memory seves me correctly there should be 4 phases so if they get planning permission this year and start building this year would think phase 1 should be finished around 2012 or 2013.
The architects are EDAW of San Francisco.
This plan seems to show phases 1 and 2.
http://www.edaw.co.uk/whatWeDo/projects/projects.aspx?ms=y&idx=0
This plan seems to show phases 1 and 2.
http://www.edaw.co.uk/whatWeDo/projects/projects.aspx?ms=y&idx=0
taun
Well-Known Member
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
I get the impression EDAW did the Master Plan. The rendering that went out with yesterday's press release was from the architects that did London's gorilla exhibit.
And to access the info, you need to go to the EDAW site, search projects (with cookies enabled)
Maybe this?
http://www.edaw.co.uk/whatWedo/proj...673717365787873775048485648575052485049535254
taun
Well-Known Member
Thats fine,
Looks like the elephants area is either gone or reduce quiet a bit!
Have to say I noticed that too, I take it the rumoured second enclosure on the other side of the current house will not be constructed.
Thats fine,
Looks like the elephants area is either gone or reduce quiet a bit!
Or possibly extended into the current Asian Plains?
on the plan, the bridge by the elephants appears to be similar to the "bat bridge" so perhaps they are allowing elephants to pass underneath a raised walkway bridge into 'Asian Plains'.
Or perhaps the map isn't drawn to scale yet? (it isn't exactly full of detail)
Edit: I've also noticed that there is an extension of the 'bat bridge' going into the ruffed lemur islands.
taun
Well-Known Member
Interesting Idea, the Asian elephants joint paddock with Asian plains.
I know this is not to scale or in much detail but you can clearly see the areas of the zoo that may change.
Exciting times!
It's refreshing to see the Chester are being really ambitious at last, which is exactly what they should be given their #1 UK zoo status. Their recent projects (the elephant house, RoRA) have been timid, functional and architecturally dull. They may provide for the animals and visitors needs (although as the RoRA discussion in this thread demonstrates, opinion is divided on those matters too), they don't do much to elevate the zoo to a world-class establishment in my view.
So it's pleasing to see that they've appointed an architect with previous zoo experience: as Zooplantman noted, Proctor and Matthews are the practice responsible for London Zoo's Gorilla Kingdom (and Whipsnade's lion exhibit too). And judging from the initial images the Heart of Africa certainly has the 'Wow' factor.
The £90 million budget sounds a lot but I'm not so sure. The Eden Project cost about the same a decade ago, on a slightly smaller site (50 ha vs 56 ha). Heart of Africa also looks more complex. However, if Chester can get it built in the next 4 years they may be able to benefit from lower commodity prices.
It's refreshing to see the Chester are being really ambitious at last, which is exactly what they should be given their #1 UK zoo status. Their recent projects (the elephant house, RoRA) have been timid, functional and architecturally dull. They may provide for the animals and visitors needs (although as the RoRA discussion in this thread demonstrates, opinion is divided on those matters too), they don't do much to elevate the zoo to a world-class establishment in my view.
So it's pleasing to see that they've appointed an architect with previous zoo experience: as Zooplantman noted, Proctor and Matthews are the practice responsible for London Zoo's Gorilla Kingdom (and Whipsnade's lion exhibit too). And judging from the initial images the Heart of Africa certainly has the 'Wow' factor.
The £90 million budget sounds a lot but I'm not so sure. The Eden Project cost about the same a decade ago, on a slightly smaller site (50 ha vs 56 ha). Heart of Africa also looks more complex. However, if Chester can get it built in the next 4 years they may be able to benefit from lower commodity prices.
foxonstilts
New Member
I agree with you Chris79 that Elephants of the Asian Forest was highly derivative and yet inferior to Rotterdam. However, I think you’re being too harsh on RORA. Although it is decidedly functional in terms of architecture, in terms of animal welfare I think you’d find it hard to name a better Orang-utan exhibit in the world. On that basis RORA is a world class exhibit.
What makes it even more original is that while there are plenty of good gorilla and chimp exhibits out there which zoos can copy, there’s a definite lack of good Orang exhibits out there. This is inevitably because Orangs can’t be kept in as large social groups and because of the aboreal nature of Orangs. Gorilla Kingdom may have slicker architecture for visitors but seeing a whole gorilla group stuck in one tiny room (unless of course they’re locked outside), a fraction of the size of the inside area of RORA takes away all the enjoyment away from me.
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
The technology for these "foil" or ETFE buildings has come a long way since Eden Project. The biggest difference is that now you need far less steel to cover the same area. So from that perspective there are real savings. Also, the Eden Project site would have been more expensive to develop, I think.
Still, "Heart of Africa" requires lots that a botanical building does not: holding areas, fake trees, boat ride, tree-top views, so we'll have to see how creative they can be.