Saint Louis Zoo Various Projects

For almost 100 years, the Saint Louis Zoo has served the community and the surrounding region as one of the only three remaining free accredited zoos in the country. The institution’s vision, ‘Animals Always,’ is interwoven into each and every experience on this 120-acre property, from the parking lot and the arrival sequence, to the exhibits and native materials.
Each exhibit tells a unique story of preservation, habitat, research, and sustainability. Some, like the 1904 World’s Fair Flight Cage, have historical significance, dating back as the impetus for the Zoo’s development in 1913. Its renovation was pivotal in preserving the world’s largest free-flight aviary.
Sensitive and engaging design is immersionary. Materials are selected to reflect the natural ecosystems in which each animal lives, from the lush forests of the Andean Bears to the grasslands of the African Wild Dog. And this immersionary experience begins from the moment visitors exit their cars and walk to the main gates. The Zoo’s main entrance, the South Arrival Plaza, is a successful study of pedestrian safety and vehicular circulation, as well as a functioning stormwater management system designed to slow and collect water as it drains across the lot.