Designed A New Reptile House

Lake Superior Zoo Re-Design #1

I often create for myself scenarios that I then play out as if they were true.  It's just a mental game to keep my thinking sharp and direct my desire to learn in a particular direction.  This one was that I won a multi-million dollar jack-pot that gave me over 200 million dollars after taxes--hey!  It's my fantasy.

Then, I explored over 100 zoos, 164 to be exact, in search of one in which to invest some of my new found wealth.  There are many worthy candidates.  But after much consideration, I settled on the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth, Minnesota.  And what you are about to read is the result.  Please, click on the image to see all the details.  And I have had so much fun with this one, it's not likely to be my only one.  Cheers!

Lake Superior Zoo re-Design #2

The raw plan I have created.

Lake Superior Re-Design #3

While I chose this zoo for it's "Little Train the Could" attitude in the face of diversity, it is by no means a bad zoo.  It has a lot of goo things going for it.  I am imaging a future built upon a solid foundation.  And money always attracts money--part of my initial fantasy premise.

Lake Superior Zoo Re-Design #4

The heart of the zoo's existing collection outside of North America is Asian.  This plan capitalizes on their existing premiere species: the Amur Tiger, the Snow Leopard, and the Ring-tailed Lemur and then adds in other important and varied animals like the Red Panda and Bactrian Camel.  Additionally it transforms another area of the zoo into a Japanese garden complete with a multi-storied Pagoda for elevated access to the zoo and surrounding areas, and a hot spring for an anchor primate species: the Japanese Macaque.  There are three major primate species in zoo holdings: Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Orangutans.  None are suitable for the Lake Superior Zoo.  The Japanese Macaque of snowy winter fame thanks to National Geographic magazine are.  I add to this three others, fully aware of the fact that the Pallas Cat is not from Japan and markers describing this animal would make visitors aware of this, too.  Additionally, the gardens would provide wonderful photo ops to visitors.  Again, click the image to see the details.

Lake Superior Zoo Re-Design #5

The zoo presently has one major species from Africa, the African Lion.  Given it's climate, it will never be a major holder of African Species; however, there are amenable animals that can be displayed in warmer seasons, and housed in appropriate facilities during extreme cold.  So I propose to completely redesign the existing African Lion habitat and create a series of four adjacent enclosures that provide visitors with a varies experience of African animals. Again, click on the image to see the full details.

Lake Superior Zoo Re-Design #6

It only makes sense that a zoo in Duluth, Minnesota would feature animals from North America.  There latest up-grade is a home for Grizzly Bears.  I noted that in one their resent proposed redesigns, they took the Northwestern corner of the zoo and transformed it into a place with multiple habitats for North American species.  I latched onto this idea and then have attempted to take it to the next level.  Placing the North American River Otters, and Black-tailed Prairie Dogs more in the heart of the zoo enhances the visitor's experience of the Grizzly Bears and hopefully wets their appetite for the second  area dedicated to animals from this region of the planet.  Again click the image to see all the details.

Lake Superior Zoo Re-Design #7

A very ambitions project is to take the south side of the Kingsbury Creek and transform it into a multi-habitat exhibit space featuring Polar Region animals.  This would restore the zoo to the rather exclusive club of Polar Bear zoological gardens and add seal, penguin and walrus to the mix.  Not only would this combination create a unique setting for guests, but I have also included a structure in conjunction with the Polar Bear habitat that would some levels serve the needs of these animals, but would also create a second space suitable for rental.  Connected to the plaza between the two habitat facilities, it would permit both interior and exterior space for celebrations like Birthdays, Anniversaries, Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings, and Graduations, etc.  Every modern zoo must consider it's revenue stream.  Creating enhanced opportunities is a critical consideration.  An additional boost would be to shop the naming rights for the space to an individual benefactor with deep pockets and a desire to support species survival.  Again, click the image to see all the details.

Lake Superior Zoo Re-Design #8

The final addition to this longtime zoo would be a world class Herpetarium.  Herpetariums house collections of Amphibians and Reptiles.  I will tell you that I was not a fan (nor did I disdain) of these collections in zoos until I first visited the Herpetarium at the Philadelphia Zoo--it rocked my world.  And it opened my eyes to the potential of a really finely designed Herpetarium.  How it takes some of the most ancient and too often critically endangered members of our world and displays them to benefit of their very survival.  This is my first shot at creating one and the influences in my choices are as varied as Temple Grandin, Frank Lloyd Wright and Dr. Roger Conant.  I hope you find it worthy of all three. You'll have to click on the image to get the full effect.

Lake Superior Zoo Re-Design #9

The final panel in my completely uninvited and quite enjoyable Lake Superior Zoo Redesign features the details of my Herpetarium.  Given the premise of this entire project, I would indulge that my name be placed upon it: "The R. William Ash World Herpetarium".