Aalborg Zoo Master Plan

The patron saint of Aalborg Zoo stands guard over the centre of the semi-public square located just beyond the unpretentious entrance building. With a bear cub under each arm, the bronze Björneman stands for the Danish Zoo’s commitment to nature and species conservation, providing the zoo its primary focus.
Covering only eight hectares, the small-scale zoo portrays itself as a zoo for the future that knows how to bring visitors closer to nature and wildlife as well as communicate valuable content regarding species conservation and research.
On a day-long outing visitors experience a total of ten regions from around the world – from Scandinavia to the forest of Gujarat, from the African Savannah to the South American Pampas – as well as discover 138 semi-endangered species.
Numerous observation stations, unique views of the authentically designed animal habitats and of everyday life at the zoo as well as various picnic areas, restaurants and overnight accommodations fulfil the zoological institution’s mission of education and recreation.

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With a twenty-year timeframe for its master plan, Aalborg Zoo is repositioning itself in the highly competitive European market. Our strategic development plan not only includes obvious aspects such as the buildings and landscape, the animal population, operational business activities, the design and visitor experience, but also takes into account the zoo as a regional economic factor.
Accordingly, one of the zoo’s goals is to be better integrated into the city.
A panoramic window offering the public a view into the wolf enclosure raises the zoo’s profile from the outside. The natural look of the entrance building and a public café with views inside the tropical show house and the semi-public entrance foster a closer relationship between zoo and city.
Two initial projects have already been realized: the kiosk playground we designed as well as a revamped South American kiosk, which opened in summer 2015.

dan pearlman 17th June 2015