Renderings to Reality: How Exhibit Designs Change

[Jurek7]

I agree that designs usually overdo the size of exhibit, vegetation and quality of execution. A 'savanna' usually ends as yet another dusty paddock... A reminder for zoos how important are the size of exhibit, sight lines, vegetation and quality of mock rocks, buildings etc.

About San Diego Zoos new children zoo (sorry I am not interested in pompous names, because one exhibit sometimes has several). One of original concepts, mentioned here on Zoochat, was an area without any living animals, but with 'robotic fish'. So the final attraction is still better than it might be. Although I agree it is nothing which could not be seen in 20 other zoos.

 

[Utahraptor]

That rendering looks like it was built in Planet Zoo. I wonder if any zoos will actually use that for their renderings.

Sorry for the late reply, but i think it's worth to mention that the hertfordshire zoo used Planet zoo to make they jaguar habitat rendering: International Jaguar Day! | Hertfordshire Zoo

 

[Frankie_number_1_fan]

Columbus' Animal Encounters Village is a stellar example of how renderings can be misleading.
This is how their animal encounters villiage building looked in renderings:

It looks large, open and well-lit. Despite the odd concept the exhibit genuinely looks well-done.

Here's how it actually looks, as far too many of us have seen...


A very cheap-looking and meh exhibit from a very nice concept. I wonder how much ended up changing during construction because the rest of the Adventure Cove and ourdoor EAV renderings actually reflect the final result quite well

 

[JVM]

I wouldn't even know either of those were the same exhibit if you hadn't specified, jeepers!

 

[Frankie_number_1_fan]

I wouldn't even know either of those were the same exhibit if you hadn't specified, jeepers!

It's certianly odd to see that the final result doesn't even reflect the original intention of the building. The concept art is clearly intended to look like an outdoor street, but with the missing faux vegetation and the lack of a boardwalk ceiling covering really just nerfs the entire building. Such a shame indeed since I genuinely do like the idea of the city showing how animals and humans have to coexist in the modern world

I am left to wonder if North America will suffer the same fate, the provided concept art is gorgeous:






However, given the available space they're working with, I question how accurate these renderings will be (especially for the otter and eagle space).

 

[Northwest_FIsh_Keeping]

I just discovered this really awesome thread, I have a few of my own that came to mind after reading through:

Monterey Bay Aquarium's "Into the Deep" | The largest Deep-Sea Exhibit in North America, this exhibit went through some drastic changes between concept art and final product (most of them I would say for the better though). I've gotten two BTS looks at the exhibit and know some aquarists from it so I can provide some more insight on why some decisions were made.
(Sorry most of these photos are terrible, most of them I pulled from the web since every time I visit, I always photograph the animals instead of the whole gallery)

ROV Statue: Right next to the basement floor viewing for the "Open Sea" tank, there were plans for a large ROV replica statue that guests could stand next to for a photo OP. Along with some signs explaining what an ROV is and it's uses.
Instead, this was scrapped and the result was an area that has a diorama of the Monterey Coast and Monterey Submarine Canyon where most of the animals are from, and a wall highlighting MBARI's work and some prominent scientists that are apart of MBARI.


"Science at Sea" | This area was supposed to be modeled after the inside of a research vessel, with various video screens and an ROV type game where visitors could play as an ROV piolet, maneuvering through the water and collecting animals.
Instead, this was scrapped and instead we got the 4 player "Midwater Survival Game" where you select a small predator to play as, and pick off different bits of marine snow. The catch is some of the marine snow are actually microplastics, and at the end, it gives you a summary of how much food to microplastic ratio you ate and why this is bad and more conservation facts. Which IMO was the better move for a public education stand point since it's very alluring to people of all ages.


You can also see a Sea Pig Tank in the room, which unfortunately the species hasn't made a debut yet because the Aquarium hasn't figured out what they actually eat yet (there was some testing going on at MBARI's facility to keep them alive for the exhibit, they tried blending various foods together to mimic marine snow, but it didn't work out). One day we'll see Sea Pigs kept successfully hopefully.

Midwater Room | This actually turned out pretty similar to the concept art, the only difference is that the circular inwall tank on the left is more of an oval.
The main thing is the big cylinder tank in the middle, while it is that way in person, the system unfortunately isn't designed to house Siphonophores in it like the concept art shows. The main reason is because the system the Aquarium uses on a smaller tank on exhibit called the "Tube in a Tube" system, wasn't able to be replicated on a larger scale (yet), so it's only displayed a few species of Comb Jellies so far. Which means no medium sized Siphonophores for the time being


Smaller Spider Crab Tank | The concept art for this shows a smaller tank for juvenile Japanese Spider Crabs, however this tank never made the final cut. I'm not sure why, but I'm guessing it's because the Aquarium's Spider Crabs are already so massive (last I heard, 2 of them are 10ft across, 1 is 8 & half feet across, and 1 is reaching 7ft across), there's not much more room to introduce more Spider Crabs to the group so having a grow out tank would be kind of a waste of space.
Instead, sometimes other Deep-Sea crabs are displayed in the "Muddy Plains" gallery time to time such as the Porcupine Crab.

Hydrothermal Vent diorama | I remember seeing an old rendering for the Hydrothermal Vent diorama where it would've been similar to the existing Bioluminescent room where you could walk in and be surrounded by screens playing videos of the underwater volcanoes and animals, and lots of figurines of the animals that live there. I can't find that picture anymore, but in reality, it's 1 screen with 1 viewing that you can look into with dioramas of the Worms, Fish, and Crabs that live there.


IMO most of these changes were for the better, especially the Midwater game instead of an ROV game. Honestly most of these are just animals that haven't been displayed yet that were featured on the concept art, which we could see in the future because the Aquarium has already cracked the code to so many animals so far, I'd imagine they're not far away from getting some of these other species on display (besides the ones that have size constraints).

 

[Northwest_FIsh_Keeping]

Seattle Aquarium's "Ocean Pavilion" | The latest and greatest expansion in Aquarium history that just opened up at the end of August, I think this is one case (no bias) where almost everything that was showcased in the concept art actually came into fruition.

However, before settling on this design, this very very early draft of what the front office had in mind was released in 2017. I don't know too much about this concept since none of the staff ever mentioned it once these past 2 years when I was a Highschool intern. The whole building would've been round, and the center would've been home to the giant Shark Tank. Along with what looks like the entire thing being made of windows. The most obvious problems I can see with this is that 1) the algae problems from all the sunlight would've been insane 2) it looks like the entire building would've just been this 1 tank 3) an entirely cylindrical shark tank isn't really the best concept for the animals.
I will say however, that Green Sea Turtle in the concept art, is one thing that hasn't been ruled out. Thanks to our new 500,000 Gallon Tank, if one were to be deemed non-releasable, it could find a home here in the future. (just internal talk)

Now onto the final concept art, everything pretty much matches up exactly to how it turned out. There was a concept art image for the main window to 'The Reef' (500,000 Gallon Tank) that came out a little before these, that imagined it looking more like what the Frost Museum in Miami has going on with an elevated viewing window you look have to look slightly up into. But that was also scrapped.

Some of the animals that are featured in the concept art (Most notably the Javanese Cownose Rays, Weedy Sea Dragons, Ribboned Pipefishes, Napolean Wrasses, etc) are species that will be on display in near future. You can also argue that there are some Grey Reef Sharks in the concept art as well, and while we don't have that species anywhere onsite or at the offsite facility, I'm 90% sure we'll end up getting a few Grey Reef Sharks from Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium once their juveniles start to outgrow the space, so we'll see in the future.

 

[USZOOfan42]

I’m hopeful Detroit does not like design and we end up recieving tree kangaroos and capybaras. A volunteer mentioned them both and I’m hopeful that they still are an option.

 

[filovirus]

The most obvious problems I can see with this is that 1) the algae problems from all the sunlight would've been insane 2) it looks like the entire building would've just been this 1 tank 3) an entirely cylindrical shark tank isn't really the best concept for the animals.

I'm no material scientist but my first thought was that temperature control would be tough too! Too warm in the summer and too cool in the winter.

 

[Astrotom3000]

The Greensboro Science Center's Revolution Ridge (named as the center lies adjacent to a revolutionary war battlefield) was notably different in concept than it ended up being in execution, with several elements drastically altered or removed from the final development.

Source

The Okapi, Hippo, and Cassowary exhibits and pathway in the bottom left appeared to have made it into the final plans relatively unchanged, but everything else was altered in one way or another.

• The diagonal path that cuts through the woods and across the creek was not included in the final plans. However, the spot where it connects to the existing path next to the Gibbon exhibit is where the actual exhibit path starts.
• The plaza in the top right was drastically altered; there are no pavilions or separate bathroom buildings there. There is a food truck parked there, but not the lineup the art depicts.
• The Vet hospital was built further to the left, just above where the Flamingo exhibit is in the concept art. The flamingo exhibit itself was moved towards the right, and immediately follows the hospital if you go through the exhibit clockwise (starting at the Gibbon exhibit).
• The small cats exhibit was moved up to where the vet hospital is in the concept art.
• The Red Pandas are located where the tortoises in the concept art are. Consequently, no new tortoise exhibit made it into the final plans.
• The pathway along the top follows a simpler path, and not the crazy zig-zag as seen in the concept art.

While I looking this up, I also came across additional concepts from Ruocchio Designs that showed an alternative plan for Revolution Ridge. This one included Clouded Leopards and Mandrills, as well as a new cafe/gift shop and pavilion that never made it into final plans. This plan would have also moved the Tigers and Nile Crocodiles to new exhibits. This concept is much older; as it appears to predate the expansion of the aquarium that opened back in 2018. Funnily enough, it still shows Okapis in the spot they ultimately ended up in.

Speaking of which, that same website also shows off concept art for an expansion of the aquarium that the center ultimately did not use.

You can see the old concepts at their website.

 

[DevinL]

I am left to wonder if North America will suffer the same fate, the provided concept art is gorgeous:

However, given the available space they're working with, I question how accurate these renderings will be (especially for the otter and eagle space).

How many of the same elements and photos are used in the renderings for both the wolf exhibit and the black bear exhibit for Columbus Zoo's North America? The rocky backdrop in both renderings is from the same photo. Even the people from both renderings are the same stock images! I could go on. Maybe we should make a game of it? The two renderings together remind me of a child's game of can you spot the differences.

Because the renderings of wolf and black bear exhibits are so similar, I do not think that they were done as an accurate portrayal of a well fleshed out or finalized design, and so they are probably not a good indication of the quality of the final design. The renderings look like they were done more so to show concepts. Concepts like, the wolves will predominantly be viewed from a shelter made of wood and stone, and the holding building for the wolves will be disguised with the use of artificial rockwork covering it. All the pretty stuff or aspects of the renderings are meant to sell these concepts. It is quite possible that not even all of these concepts will make it into the final design or the final constructed exhibit.

Rendered perspectives can be produced at different stages of a design. They can also have varying degrees of artistic liberty and accuracy. Typically, accuracy will be increased as a design becomes more finalized and less artistic liberties will be taken. Don't get too tricked by pretty photorealistic renderings, that's not what the contractors are going to build off of!

 

[LadyA91]

It's certianly odd to see that the final result doesn't even reflect the original intention of the building. The concept art is clearly intended to look like an outdoor street, but with the missing faux vegetation and the lack of a boardwalk ceiling covering really just nerfs the entire building. Such a shame indeed since I genuinely do like the idea of the city showing how animals and humans have to coexist in the modern world

I am left to wonder if North America will suffer the same fate, the provided concept art is gorgeous:

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However, given the available space they're working with, I question how accurate these renderings will be (especially for the otter and eagle space).

What zoo will have these exhibits?

 

[Frankie_number_1_fan]

What zoo will have these exhibits?

Columbus!