May 31, 2010
It’s a good thing to visit past projects and see them through different eyes. I worked on this artificial cave project with Houthoff Zoo Design last summer. It is at Avonturia in The Netherlands and is part of a unique project which combines a mini zoo and an adventure playground.
I went back there with my young daughter and watched as she excitedly ran ahead but hesitated at each dark corner. The caves have a real spooky feel about them with lots of shadowy nooks and the people at Avonturia have made good use of lighting to create these affects. The ambient music fits perfectly and the whole atmosphere is one of excitement and suspense.
April 16, 2010
Here are some images from a just completed Houthoff Zoo Design project. Designed to prevent animals from mingling with the visitors in Rotterdam Zoo’s Asia exhibit, this construction can withstand the force of a charging elephant. It also looks nice and we like things which look nice.
First we made a steel barrier and fixed it into the concrete walls and floor. Then, taking inspiration from the existing twenty year old jungle theming, we transformed the not so pretty structure into a fallen, decomposing tree. A ‘jungley’ paint job and a scattering of lichens completed the effect.
We are not sure if the elephants will appreciate the feng shui we performed for them but we sure think it looks better than a boring metal barrier.
