Custom Zoo Exhibits and Visitor Experiences
When approaching the design of each custom habitat, we ask the question, "Could it have happened in nature?" Too often, in man-made habitats, realism is spoiled when the designers attempt to create something that never could have occurred in nature. At Total Habitat, we take pride in following nature's lead. When we're done, the habitat will look as though it has been there for thousands of years and you are the lucky ones for building next to it!
REVOLUTIONARY RIDGE, GREENSBORO SCIENCE CENTER (GREENSBORO, NC)
This 2020 - 2021 zoo expansion project features multiple exhibits including Pygmy Hippo, Fishing Cat, Red Panda, Black-Footed Cat, Serval, Flamingo and Sand Cat. “I think they are going to be in awe. This zoological expansion is as good as any zoological expansion in the world, in the nation" said Glenn Dobrogosz (Executive Director of the Greensboro Science Center) of our exhibit work.
Pygmy Hippo HabitatRed Panda HabitatCassowary & Okapi Habitats |
Serval HabitatCat HabitatsFlamingo Habitat |
MARYLAND ZOO (BALTIMORE, MD)
Total Habitat worked closely with the Maryland Zoo to design, build and renovate animal exhibits and visitor experiences throughout the zoo including Otter, Marsh Aviary, Leopard and more (see exhibits highlighted in yellow on the map).
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Otter Rockwork
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Leopard
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Reptile
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Giant Tree
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Giant Spider
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Penguin Exhibit Renovation
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TREE KANGAROO, KANSAS CITY ZOO (KANSAS CITY, MO)
Created for two Matschie's tree kangaroos, Gru and Nokopo, this all-season habitat includes four artificial trees set in front of a natural forest backdrop, giving visitors the sense they are up among the trees! The massive 16-20ft sculpted concrete trees, intwined with natural deadfall, give these tree-dwellers plenty of climbing opportunities in both their exterior and interior exhibit spaces.
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ROWAN NATURE CENTER (SALISBURY, NC)
BEFORE TOTAL HABITAT |
AFTER TOTAL HABITAT |
Above are before and after photos of Total Habitat's redesign of the Rowan Nature Center in Salisbury, NC. We transformed the exhibit into a North Carolina Wildlife immersion experience that takes visitors on a journey through a riverbed where they encounter the state's wildlife in their natural habitat. See below for more pictures of this project and others.
REPTILE ENCLOSURES, MICKE GROVE ZOO (LODI, CA)
We created these museum-quality small reptile enclosures for geckos at the Micke Grove Zoo. Each enclosure, which included integrated lighting and a hidden keeper access door, was hand sculpted and painted to look completely natural!
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Above: Close-up view of one of the gecko enclosures
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Allan and a chameleon pose for a pic in front of the newly completed gecko enclosure
BUGARIUM, aBQ BIOPARK (ALBUQUERQUE, NM)
In the brand new Bugarium building at the ABQ Biopark in Albuquerque, we created several distinct exhibits within one large, open space: Desert, Tropics/Living Wall, Ant Island, Waterbug, Nocturnal Forest/Riverbank. Each area is specially made to accommodate its animal residents and to immerse visitors in the specimens' natural habitats. The Nocturnal rooms, for example, house creatures like giant centipedes, scorpions, tarantulas, and millipedes that are most active during the night hours, so their areas are kept dim during the day and bright overnight, to simulate daylight. To create the immersive experience for visitors, the Nocturnal rooms are themed like a rainforest at night, complete with backlit displays, real and artificial trees, a leafy canopy above, and forest sounds echoing around the visitor as he/she moves through the space.
Tropics/Living Wall (planted wall w/ waterfall to pond Below):
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Nocturnal Rooms Entrance:
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Nocturnal Forest (Nighttime treetop & tree hollow Animals):
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Nocturnal Riverbank (Nighttime Rainforest Floor & Burrowing Specimens):
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waterbug (Aquarium Displays & Themed Visitor Seating):
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desert (burrowing & desert floor specimens):
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Ant Island & Vine (Leaf Cutter Ant Island w/ trees & Artificial Vine "highway" to Colony):
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Outdoor Pond (bugarium building entrance & Dragonfly Area):
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GREENSBORO SCIENCE CENTER: FIRST EXPANSION (GREENSBORO, NC)
Total Habitat designed and built all of the outdoor animal exhibits for the Greensboro Science Center, including maned wolf, tiger, howler monkey, gibbon, meerkat, ring-tailed lemur, and alligator.
The exhibits feature ample built-in enrichment opportunities for the animal occupants. One such example is the marshy water feature built into the maned wolf exhibit. Also in the maned wolf exhibit, we were able to use various green building techniques, including solar heating/cooling and a planted roof that harvests rain water. In fact, the maned wolves' holding building (pictured below) was constructed using highly-insulating, recycled styrofoam and concrete blocks!
The exhibits feature ample built-in enrichment opportunities for the animal occupants. One such example is the marshy water feature built into the maned wolf exhibit. Also in the maned wolf exhibit, we were able to use various green building techniques, including solar heating/cooling and a planted roof that harvests rain water. In fact, the maned wolves' holding building (pictured below) was constructed using highly-insulating, recycled styrofoam and concrete blocks!
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MARSH AVIARY (MARYLAND ZOO, BALTIMORE, MD)
The Marsh Aviary exhibit at the Maryland Zoo is home to ten species of native birds and features an elevated walkway over a themed concrete stream, an interactive Lilypad Bridge (a local favorite) and two kid-sized nests. Read more about this exhibit here: www.MarylandZoo.org
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BEAR EXHIBIT (ROWAN NATURE CENTER, SALISBURY, NC)
In keeping with the history of the area, this North Carolina bear exhibit is themed to look like an abandoned rock quarry. Visitors view the bears from many vantage points including from inside a cave, and from within a rickety shack, straight through an owl exhibit. Situated around the exhibit are reminders of its past as a quarry: a rusted crane, "cut" rock rubble, rickety shacks, and other abandoned pieces of equipment.
PRIDE OF THE PLAINS EXHIBIT (SEDGWICK COUNTY ZOO, KS)
Developed in partnership with WDM Architects, this exhibit, which has been called "the best lion exhibit in the world", was designed to give visitors a sense of discovery as they navigate the space. Views of the animals are half-hidden, just beyond the next bend in the path, to simulate the more profound experience of happening upon an animal in the wild. This is what we call the Engineered View, where visitors get extreme encounters with the animals every time, using purposeful positioning of the viewing areas, as well as heated and cooled rocks. Employing these techniques, we can position the animals for a quality encounter even when they're napping! This project was awarded a 2001 ASLA Merit Award by the Prairie Gateway Chapter and a 2005 AIA Design Award by the Wichita, Kansas Chapter.
FUN STUFF ALONG THE WAY
When asked to describe what we do exactly, it's hard to give a simple answer because we do a little bit of everything! Over the years, we've worked with zoos, nature and science centers, botanical gardens, cities, architects, homeowners, and many others, on projects of all kinds. We've developed our own set of field-tested design methods which we are able to apply to any project that comes our way, no matter how obscure. At Total Habitat, we always look forward to new, exciting challenges and we welcome yours!
