Zoo Zoo
Site
"Zoo Zoo" is a relatively smaller-sized private zoo with the excessive contents which includes the exhibition and performance hall for all sort of animals and reptiles such as crocodile, lion, sea lion, etc. The site might require four times of current size in order to accommodate all kinds of programs in the zoo. Although Zoo Zoo has such limited site condition, it is always crowded with young student visitors from local elementary schools since the zoo allows the visitors to have a unique experience by directly touching the animals. However, the topographical condition of the site – relatively low site level near by the river – is threatened by the flooding during the rainy season.
The Client's Request
One of the client’s requests was to design a generous eaves space for the young visitors, providing a shelter from the shower and blazing sunlight during their lunch time. The best solution to deal with the following three conditions – maximizing the use of small site, avoiding flood and rainfall during the heavy rainy season – was to create Piloti space. However, adding Piloti could cause overly high building that blocks the beautiful sky and surrounding sceneries. In order to preserve the natural landscape around the site, we adjusted the building height by using the space underneath the sloped seats of the theater as Piloti space.
The Building Shape
Zoo Zoo is basically composed of two main programs: the lion theater and the crocodile theater. While keeping the design strategy of making Piloti space from the sloped seating area, the shape of two main performance blocks are formed parallel to the shape of the site. The lion theater mass is molded by the parallelogram-shaped site and 20 degree-sloped auditorium which fulfills the client's request. In a similar manner, the crocodile theater mass is also molded by the distorted ball-shaped island site and 37 degree-sloped auditorium. This condition eventually produced the three-dimensional curved edges in the elevation. Furthermore, these arbitrary masses are actually logically casted by the requested seat slope and site shape.
Asymmetrical Mass
Current Zoo Zoo has such a chaotic architectural environment due to its complex program, excessive amount of the client's stone sculpture collections and all sorts of the randomly planted trees. In order to simplify the site context, the newly constructed building has a white asymmetrical façade that renders the building into rough environment, giving the visitors a visual relief. The building is also intended to be a landmark which gives the visitors a sense of direction within the zoo.
Location: 290 Gwansang-dong, Dukyang-gu, Goyang-si, Geonggi-do, Korea
Size: Lion Theater(379.78㎡),
Crocodile Theater(417.17㎡)
Design Year: 2008
Completion Year: 2010
