The Circus "NO SPIN ZONE": 10/04/10

Monday, October 4, 2010

DHRotterdam Zoo--Bokito

Boy, evolution was sure on top of it's game when it settled on the male Asian elephant and the male Silverback Gorilla to represent grace, dignity, and take no shit power. This magnificent creature pictured is Bokito, chief sire at Rotterdam Zoo.

He appeared in the news after he escaped from his enclosure and seriously injured a female visitor on May 18, 2007. Born in the Berlin zoo Zoologischer Garten, Bokito was raised by his human attendants after having been rejected by his mother. To reduce the risk of inbreeding, he was transferred to the Rotterdam Zoo Diergaarde Blijdorp in August 2005.

On May 18, 2007, Bokito jumped over the ditch that separated his enclosure from the public and violently attacked a woman, dragging her around for tens of meters and inflicting bone fractures as well as more than a hundred bite wounds. He subsequently entered the nearby restaurant, causing panic among the visitors. During this encounter, three more people were injured as a result of the panic. Bokito was eventually sedated with the help of a tranquilizer gun and placed back in his cage.

The woman who was attacked had been a regular visitor to the great apes' enclosure, visiting an average of 4 times per week. She had a habit of touching the glass that separated her from the gorillas, while making eye contact with Bokito and smiling to him, a practice that is discouraged by primatologists, as apes are likely to interpret human smiling as a form of aggressive display. Zoo employees had previously warned her against doing this, but she continued, claiming a special bond with him: in an interview with "De Telegraaf", she said "if I laugh at him, he laughs back". What the heck is the matter with these people who feel they have a "special bond" with something like Bokito? It reminds me of the "special bond" Eloise Berchold told me she had with her male elephants. Yeah, I got your "special bond" right here, "special bond" this. Why would an animal lower themselves to "special bond" with a human? They are so much more then that. They say man has superior intelligence, but you sure have to question the validity of that statement, when ever someone professes to a "special bond." Great, just what the animal world needed, a Gorilla Whisper!!!!!

The word "Bokitoproof", meaning "durable enough to resist the actions of an enraged gorilla", and by extension "durable enough to resist the actions of a non-specific extreme situation", was voted the Dutch language "Woord van het jaar" (Word of the Year) for 2007. Although man may be inferior to an animal, he sure does have a great sense of humor. LOL

DHRotterdam Zoo--Riviera Hall--1940

Because Rotterdam is one of the few zoo's designed solely by an Architect(that makes as much sense as hiring race car driver to fly your space shuttle, because he knows fast), in 2004 it was designated a national as well as a municipal monument. In fairness to LAM Architect, that mean's that there is limited space in which to work in an existing zoo, but that still doesn't explain the hyped "bulging walls", unless something hung out from an existing building and the wall's could not be built vertical, instead having to close in to the "onion shape" to squeeze between any over hang architecture of real beauty.

Ouwhands Zoo Elephant Crush

Bjorn writes:
This crush stands in the public viewing area of the elephant house, so that visitors can take an up close and personal look. On the right side of the picture you can see the door that leads to stables of the cows, on the left side is the door that leads in to the stable of the Bull.

Courtesy of Bjorn Krebbers

DHRotterdam Zoo--Feline Exhibit

Sybold van Ravesteyn architectural design

DHRotterdam Zoo--Feline Exhibit

Sybold van Ravesteyn architectural design

DHRotterdam Zoo--Riviera Hall/House

Sybold van Ravesteyn architectural design

Sybold van Ravesteyn architectural design's

DHRotterdam Zoo--old Giraffe House

A Sybold van Ravesteyn architectural design

DHRotterdam Zoo--New Giraffe House

After a decision was reached to have a new Giraffe House built at the Rotterdam Zoo, as the old one was deemed unsuitable,(it had to be a husbandry issue, because it sure wasn't because it was ugly.) the firm LAM Architects was contracted, and this is what modern man produced with a sweep of a graphite drawing pencil. What makes it real bad is that historically zoological design tends to copy the "flavor of the day," and someone may repeat this eyesore. I am reminded of what Noel Coward said, when asked if he had ever seen a Giraffe, "I saw on in the Bush once, it certainly put the willies up me," because this building does the same thing to me. In 46BC when the first Giraffe was exhibited in Europe by Julies Caesar, man was stunned into silence upon seeing it. LAM Associates has brilliantly replicated that emotion with their "Savanna House."

The Giraffe herd at the Rotterdam Zoo has voted unanimously to award LAM Architect, The First Annual Berthold Lubecktin "your shitting me, right?" Award for Zoological Architectural Excellence for setting immersion design back 1oo years, and for coining the brilliant term "cuddle walls."

Lam Architects: Savannah House

Sustainable shelter & healthy indoor climate

The accommodation for the giraffe is designed as a “shelter”, of which the archetype of the African coral has served as the model. The design provides a comfortable place for the animals. It also gives them more living space, for the giraffes are free and can go in and out as the please. To create a sustainable building with a good indoor climate, the design takes into account the natural elements: sun, wind and rain.

As the man who the Annual Berthold Lubecktin "your shitting me, right?" Award for Zoological Architectural Excellence was inspired by was quoted, "A society that openly professes that the present is expendable and the future unintelligible begats artists who have to scream to be noticed and remembered for a quarter of an hour.," I too would like to congratulate the LAM Architect group for their win of the award.

DHRotterdam Zoo--New Giraffe House

LAM Architects Roland Butler speak: Many materials within “licking-range” of the giraffes are applied untreated. This is to prevent them from toxic substances, witch could get in through this licking. Where it is not possible to have an untreated solution a very durable non toxic application is used. "For any animal people who do not know the difference between materials within "licking-range" that are toxic or non toxic, above is toxic, and below is non toxic, or so an Architect degree would have us believe.

Rotterdam Zoo--New Giraffe House

LAM Architects Roland Butler speak:

Natural ventilation also contributes to the pleasant atmosphere. This is possible because the building and the ventilation are oriented at the most common wind direction. The principle of negative air pressure pulls the wind trough the building.

The annually rainfall of approximately 330,000 litres, on the roof of the Savannah House will be collected and used for the thirsty plants in the adjacent building.

DHRotterdam Zoo--New Giraffe House

LAM Architects: A specially designed “crush” ensures that animals are not to be stunned by research. In addition, an investigation or operation, because of this “crush” is quickly and smoothly done.

DHRotterdam Zoo--New Giraffe House--Architect speak.

Quote from LAM Architects(famed circus Publicist Roland Butler couldn't have said it better):

The Savannah House, with its specific characteristics, is comfortable for the animals, user-friendly and energy efficient/effective. Sustainability is not only reflected in the energetic concept of the design but also in, plan and materials including untreated wood with FSC-label and grasses as reed and pressed bamboo. By carefully selecting and applying the right materials the building is nearly free of maintenance, convenient for operating costs, but also for the environment. Less maintenance means even less annoyance for the animals, the public and less environmental harassment.

DHRotterdam Zoo--New Giraffe House

Interior prospectus above, and Exterior prospectus below.

DHRotterdam Zoo--New Giraffe House

Floor Plan above, Roland Butler Architect speak from Lam Architects:

The floor plan is without corners, to provide a relaxed and natural behaviour of the animals. In this way, they are not able clamp each other at a corner, the animals can always turn their back on a approaching conflict an run away. The ‘bulging’ of the facade gives the animals more freedom. The giraffes will never experience the physical limits of the building, for the building bends away from them.

Sustainable Section below, Roland Butler Architect speak from Lam Architects:

For natural light and heat so-called passive solar energy is uses. The roof is transparent and the height of the walls is determined for the best solar potential. Inside but also outside, because even on a beautiful sunny autumn or winter day, the animals are able to stand at the north side outside the building and in the sun. On cold and cloudy days is usually sufficient only to heat the animals instead of the whole 4500m3 residence. This is possible because the giraffes can find the necessary warmth at so called “cuddle-walls”. The heat that is required for these “cuddle-walls” are wood chips burned instead of fossil fuels.

DHRotterdam Zoo--New Giraffe House, through the eyes of a zoo visitor, lacking the "academic BS" of a zoological architect..

Rotterdam Zoo--Front Gate of the rebuilt zoo.

Rotterdam Zoo--Old Giraffe House

The original Rotterdam Zoo was lost in the bombing of Rotterdam in World War II. The new "Biljdorp" was rebuilt and opened to the public on December 7, 1940. The new zoo was designed by Dutch architect Sybold van Ravesteyn, who also designed the central railway station. In 2007 Rotterdam Zoo celebrated it's 150th Anniversary.