Can you believe this summer marks ten years of my little corner of the internet talking about design and the future of zoos and aquariums? Although my posting has become more infrequent as my professional life has evolved, you–my supportive and sometimes thoughtfully critical reader–remain constant. I owe you a huge Thank You for reading my … Continue reading
Zoo Zurich is one of the best zoos in Europe, if not the world. You may recognize the Zoo from its architectural ode to elephants from local modernists, Markus Schietsch Architecture. But the Zoo is much more than that. Opened in 1929 and the home of famous zoo scientist and animal behaviorist, Heini Hediger, the Zoo … Continue reading
The spring of 2017 brought the first of two trips to Europe for me this year. My previous post shared my experiences at two of Poland’s best known zoos. This post explores two of England’s most beloved zoos, London and Chester Zoos. Having a few long-time friends from England, I’ve been lucky to spend quite … Continue reading
Last month, I was able to spend a week in Europe focusing on zoo design. I attended a zoo design conference with many of the world’s leading designers and representatives from some of the most influential zoos from around the world. It was fascinating to see how differently everyone’s perspectives were, where their priorities lay, … Continue reading
About 20 years ago, the zoological society that oversaw the system of zoological facilities in and around the New York metropolitan area underwent a brand facelift. They became the Wildlife Conservation Society—a deep integration of the five metro facilities with the conservation organization that had existed since the late 19th century. And, as I’m sure … Continue reading
Reputation is everything. We’ve known this since middle school. That’s why it’s important to carefully monitor your public perception, especially if you are an institution supported primarily through admissions and tax support. With the instant feedback available 24-7 on internet review websites, there is simply no excuse for any zoo or aquarium to not be … Continue reading
by Ben Cober Recently I really enjoyed Bryan Wawzenek’s Theme Park Insider post about the top ten songs about theme parks. I started to plunge into the depths of the internet to seek out the best jams about our beloved zoos, and was shocked to find out that there currently exists no central repository for … Continue reading
Our friends over at ZooLex.org have invited DesigningZoos to partner with them to provide a place for readers to share their experiences and commentary on the new exhibit gallery additions. Every month, we’ll post links to the new Zoolex exhibits here, and encourage discussion amongst readers in the comments section. This Month: Beehive at Tiergarten Schonbrunn … Continue reading
Designingzoos.com Celebrates 5 Years of Exploring Zoological Design Holy cats! I almost dropped my chai tea latte when I realized my very first post was five years ago today! So many things have changed…I’ve celebrated a full decade with PGAV Destinations, lived at 8 different addresses in 4 different cities, facilitated four successful master plans, … Continue reading
I’ve always been partial to the underdog. Those whose beliefs and perseverance outweigh the skeptics’ might by shear doggedness and tenacity. Those tirelessly working to do right despite just scraping by. I’m one of those people who gladly buys the opening band’s CD despite not having anything on which to play it. I always choose … Continue reading
