Indonesian Archipelago Orb: The Design

The Indonesian Archipelago Orb covers a wide expanse of our planet. From the Island of Sumatra in the west to the eastern most tip of Papua New Guinea, and from the Timor Sea in the south to the Malay Peninsula in the north, it encompasses a diverse and fascinating range of tropical ecosystems.


It's design is once again that of an island, and this time with significant peaks. The observation areas form a ring that both passes between peaks and surrounds the highest of the landforms.


With a dome height of 136 meters and a diameter of 668 meters, it's virtually a twin to the Indian Sub-Continent Orb.


Inspiration for the forests was drawn from various localities across the region, while the unique jutting spires of the mountain tops found at the Gunung Mulu National Park in Malaysian Borneo provided the models for the "mountain" peaks. These were also designed to create enclosed spaces for the bats to call home.


Water features in the orb were also drawn from actual waterfalls and other waterscapes in the area.

The Orb is located at the eastern most edge of the zoo.