City Zoo

Thesis Statement

Is there a way to compact planet earths various terrain along with its ecosystem architecturally? My thesis would be; the exploration of compacting untamed nature and unrolling qualities of a landscape along with its ecological qualities into a building – a city zoo

Land Argument

Usually when we think of going to a zoo, traveling to a sprawl area and looking at caged animals is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But in the context of Hong Kong, where there’s limited land, situating a zoo that conventionally takes up large plots of land is difficult to argue. But if untamed nature could be domesticated and condensed, there would be an opportunity for zoo situated in a city.

Ethical Argument

Should wild animals be caged? In the case of Hong Kong’s Zoological and Botanical Gardens, animals are caged, caging nature. Are there better ways to ethically provide habitat for animals without caging them?

Why a zoo?

In every major city, there is a renown zoo. New York has Bronx zoo, Singapore has a Night Safari. When comparing these to Hong Kong’s Zoological and Botanical Gardens exhibit, our city zoo is poorly designed for both the caged animals and visitors view.

Where

Any major city

Hong Kong, Existing site of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (an improvement of the zoo)

Considerations

Animals (comfort/hierarchy/ecosystem)

Visitors (visual pleasure/ educational pleasure)

Zoo (interest of zoos, ie money?)

ha-ha, a landscape design element that creates a vertical barrier while preserving an uninterrupted view of the landscape beyond.

How this is perceived/understood is an important understanding of various users (including animals)

Areas to studies

Zoo typologies throughout history (zoo designs)

Animal living requirements (comfort)

Existing context of HK Zoological and Botanical Gardens.

Readings

Terra Incognita – Evolution of The Zoos, an overview of significant zoological developments spanning from biblical times through to contemporary proposal

Kennith J Polakowski – Zoo Design: The Reality of Wild Illusions

Monika Ebenhoh – Evaluating Zoo Design, the importance of visitor studies