Ape House Zoo Antwerp

Location: Koningin Astridplein, Antwerp, Belgium
Client: KMDA
Stage: built
Date: 2009 - 2010

In the recent transformation of the Zoo of Antwerp the older pavilion of the apes needed urgent intervention. Entering the barren spaces with terrible acoustics was a monotonous and cheerless experience.

The new interior is warm and inviting through the use of natural materials like wood, hemp rope and hard soil. Poles like trees sway through the space and bring the environment of the monkeys into the visitor's space and function as carrier for ropes, tires and information panels. A long wall, made up of hundreds of thin wooden boards, is shaped as an horizontal landscape unfolding, solving not only the acoustic problem but also the need for seating and place for interaction and presentation.

Playful elements like a termite hill, a bird nest, and a rope bridge create a meandering trail through the pavilion that brings the visitor closer to world of the apes.

In cooperation with www.bundl.be