From a zoo/display perspective - an architectural abomination. It just doesn't look even slightly natural.
From what I can see, however, this display meets the animals needs (climbing, shelter etc). If those tunnels have a doorway leading into a large room within the main part of the structure then, goats being goats, they probably breed regularly.
Yes, I think everybody agree about "the ugliest enclosures". But they have just this construction In different years two main big enclosures were occupated by Siberian ibexes, Markhors and Maned sheeps. The small cages (not enclosures!) are inhabited by domestic goats, Rocky Mountain Goat, Tadjik urials and lone female Shamois. You may not beleive, but - Hix' right - ibexes, markhors, auodads and urials breeds regularly there.
I find it architecturally fascinating and an interesting step in zoo exhibit development. It looks very 1930s to me, and has some resemblances to "modern" concrete exhibits then at the London Zoo and elsewhere.
Our preferences have changed, true, but I can still enjoy the old creations.
While I much prefer animals in large naturalistic exhibits, I do lament the loss of zoo architectural history when one of these enclosures is replaced
Thanks for your opinion!
A agree, this construction looks little bit like Lyubetkin's architecture of London zoo. And here, in St. Petersberg (Leningrad that years), it was the project of early 70th, and it was the modernest facility of this type (rocky hoofstock) for that time in the whole Soviet Union, except Moscow zoo's Tour'ya Gorka (Tur's Rock) of 1924th.
Yes, it's could be pity if this structure will be demolished. I think, it'll be better to change the speciality of the exhibit...
I can appreciate the historical aspects of the architecture, but not the need to keep them as exhibits. If it was used as an off display enclosure for breeding then that would be fine. But the message that exhibit sends to the public says little about the environment they come from.
It's a shame it can't be turned into something for the visitors (restaurant, souvenir shop etc) like some old exhibits in the USA. But I think all this would be good for is a playground for kids whose parents don't care about the risks!
It's funny that it was built in the 70s and is so "retro" in style. Reminds me of a US zoo I visited where I thought it was beautiful Hagenbeck style, only to have the director inform me it was built in the late 60s.
