What makes an experiential destination more appealing for both young and old? How does the zoo remain a top destination in the regional leisure industry through investments? The Osnabrück Zoo creates a new highlight for its guests with the "Water Worlds" experiential landscape.
Osnabrück Zoo now features a true highlight: the Wasserwelten (“Water Worlds”).
A New Home for Seals, Sea Lions & Penguins
This Nordic-themed habitat is the new home for seals, sea lions, pink pelicans, and Humboldt penguins – all species that have been part of the zoo since 1984. As their previous enclosures had aged, modernization became a top priority. Through a co-creative design thinking process, the concept for Wasserwelten was developed collaboratively by the zoo and the experience architecture team at dan pearlman, led by Kieran Stanley. Thanks to successful fundraising and grant applications, construction officially began in spring 2021, and the opening was celebrated in summer 2022.
More Space, Better Animal Welfare
The modernized Wasserwelten offer significantly more room – three to five times the space previously available – far exceeding the requirements of Germany’s mammal welfare guidelines. But it’s not only about quantity: the quality of the habitat is just as crucial. dan pearlman’s designers focused on the animals’ natural behaviors, enhancing the complexity of the enclosure environments to meet both genetic and behavioral needs. This approach, known as environmental and behavioral enrichment, is key to ensuring modern, animal-friendly habitats.
Experience Architecture for Animals, Operations, and Guests
The rocky landscape of Wasserwelten was designed to support the natural movement patterns of marine mammals. Caves and tunnels offer hiding spots, and ergonomic resting areas provide comfortable spaces. For Kieran Stanley, zoo design must balance animal welfare, operational efficiency, and guest experience – creating spaces that meet the needs of all three.
An Immersive Coastal Experience for Visitors
So what can visitors expect? Wasserwelten invites them into a coastal world of colorful fishing huts, dunes, pine trees, and a lighthouse. This immersive experience is made possible through storytelling and themed design, allowing guests to emotionally connect with the habitat. When done successfully, this encourages deeper understanding of species protection and conservation issues.
Architecture Meets Storytelling
“We’re not just building enclosures – we’re creating entire experience worlds,” says Kieran Stanley. In addition to the dunes and maritime-themed play areas for children, the underwater views are a true highlight: beneath the lighthouse pier, guests can dive (figuratively) into the underwater realm of seals and sea lions – and of course, everything is fully accessible.
Integrated Design Creates Synergies
One unique challenge – and strength – of the project was integrating the new habitat into the existing infrastructure, including the zoo’s restaurant. From the terrace, visitors now enjoy a direct view into Wasserwelten while dining, enriching the experience and increasing the length of stay – a win for both guests and operations.
Construction & Technical Highlights
The project began by clearing the outdated enclosures of Humboldt penguins and pelicans, removing 4,500 cubic meters of soil to make room for six new pools. The scale of the infrastructure is impressive:
2,500 tons of concrete,
1,575 meters of piping,
15 operational pumps and
750 meters of water lines keep the aquatic systems running.
Once the technical foundation was laid, the rockwork and wooden structures followed, with themed landscaping completing the transformation.
Sustainability at Its Core
Covering 5,000 square meters, Wasserwelten is also a model of sustainable zoo development. A highlight is its innovative filtration system, which uses fiber balls to reduce the need for water changes to just once every one to two years – a savings of around 10 million liters annually. Environmental protection was a central requirement in planning, including the preservation of mature trees and thoughtful reuse of existing structures.
On Time Despite Pandemic Challenges
Despite the tight schedule, COVID-19, and supply bottlenecks, the zoo completed the project in just over a year. “The challenge was real, but we succeeded in building an efficient yet atmospheric world that gives guests a true sense of vacation,” says Kieran Stanley. Project execution was managed by pbr Planungsbüro Rohling AG on behalf of dan pearlman.
A Milestone for Osnabrück Zoo
Wasserwelten is the largest single project in the zoo’s history and a major step forward in its evolution into a modern leisure destination. At the grand opening, Lower Saxony’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr. Bernd Althusmann, praised the project:
“These new facilities offer greater appeal for visitors, improved animal welfare, and environmental responsibility. They are creative, innovative, sustainable – and truly guest-oriented. I’m pleased that the State of Lower Saxony was able to help write the next chapter in Osnabrück Zoo’s success story.”
