MY ZOO - Ground Zero!

A week or so ago now I got this idea in my head that I wanted to design a zoo. How innocent little thoughts are at their inception.

So I came up with this.

The design is both influenced on my desire to create little "worlds" for the animals to inhabit, as well as, my familiarity with the ideas promoted by Dr. Temple Grandin.

The scale is really grand. The demands upon the place of its construction are not pedestrian. It requires the energy of a medium-sized city, the water demands require a unique, reliable source, and the structural criteria has an expectation of new and or cutting edge technologies.

The paybacks are no less grand. A facility of unparalleled educational, research and technological innovation. It would be akin to NASA in the late 60's and 70's.

I wanted a design where people could experience animals. So in most cases, most of the animals are not readily visible. None are well seen without binoculars. I use technology to compensate, and visitors still experience real and amazing encounters with animals.

18 different ecosystems are featured with Orbs:

A) Eastern Australia
B) Amazonian Jungle
C) Madagascar
D) The Great Barrier Reef
E) Rocky Mountains
F) North American Prairie
G) Appalachian Deciduous Forrest
H) Saharan Oasis
I) Galapagos Islands
J) Sub-Saharan African Savannah
K) South African Cape/Karoo Desert
L) Mongolian Steppe
M) Indian Sub-Continent
N) East African Lion Pride
O) Japanese Deciduous Forest
P) Scandinavian Coniferous Wetlands
Q) Bornean Jungle
R) Caribbean Reef

There are also 20 Monumental Freshwater Aquariums designed to house the Flora and Fauna from the rivers in a circular tank with natural currents. The tanks measure more than 75 meters in diameter and have a height of 40 meters of water.

The Rivers represented are:
A) Amur (Asia)
B) Congo (Africa)
C) Danube (Europe)
D) Darling (Australia)
E) Ganges (Asia)
F) Indus (Asia)
G) Mackenzie (North America
H) Mekong (Asia)
I) Niger (Africa)
J) Nile (Africa)
K) Ob (Asia)
L) Ohio (North America)
M) Orinoco (South America)
N) Paraná (South America)
O) Rio Grande (North America)
P) San Juan, Nicaragua (North America)
Q) Snake (North America)
R) Tagus (Europe)
S) Volga (Europe)
T) Zambezi (Africa)

Additionally, there are 30 "Centers of Study" covering everything from the Evolution of Canines to Amphibians of the Amazon. Each is a library, museum and think-tank for its topic of study. I want to partner them with Universities around the world that are focusing on the particular topics of interest. They will feature a lively and regular series of symposiums and lectures available to the general public for a fair price of admission.

And that's just scratching the surface!