Today, BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group revealed renderings for a new yin and yang–shaped panda habitat — Panda House — for Copenhagen Zoo. The commission, a collaboration between BIG, Schønherr Landscape Architects and MOE, comes as the zoo prepares for the arrival of two new pandas gifted from the Chinese government to symbolize the friendship between the two countries.
“Architecture is like portraiture. To design a home for someone is like capturing their essence, their character and personality in built form,” remarks Bjarke Ingels of the design. “In the case of the two great pandas, their unique solitary nature requires two similar but separate habitats — one for her and one for him.”
The circular habitat, which will span 1,250 square meters [13,500 square feet] of indoor space and 1,200 square meters [12,900 square feet] of outdoor space, will reside next to the Foster + Partners–designed Elephant House. The 150 million DKK (approximately $22 million USD) project is slated to begin construction later this year, with the aim for completion by 2018 for the pandas’ arrival in Denmark.
“Panda House is designed to feel like humans are the visitors in the pandas’ home rather than pandas being the exotic guests from faraway lands,” said the architects in a statement. Formed at the intersection of the zoo’s existing facilities and walkways, the habitat will allow the pandas to roam freely, providing “the ideal conditions to mate.”
The habitat will feature a bamboo forest and mist forest as well as other vegetation reflective of the panda’s indigenous environment with the intention of forming “the freest and most naturalistic possible environment for their lives and relationship with each other.” The diverse vegetation and areas for sun, shade and water are meant to provide the pandas with a range of microclimates that will mimic the seasonal movements pandas make in the wild.
The circular habitat will provide visibility to zoo visitors from 360-degree angles. The ground floor of the Panda House will also contain a restaurant allowing diners to observe the behaviors of both the pandas and also the elephants located nearby. The press release states that the building will also illuminate the roles and responsibilities of the zookeepers on the facility.
With this circular design, Ingels aspires to transform the two pandas into “the new rotation point for Copenhagen Zoo.”
All images courtesy of BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group