ZOOGATE : a forecourt to the National Zoological Gardens

Abstract

The project originated as a means to find a solution to the lack of legibility that the National Zoological Gardens’ entrance expresses where it is situated on the Northern gateway into the Pretoria CBD. In order to develop an appropriate responsive architecture, the proposed solution aims to find the requirements for a successful public interface for tourist attractions and the local community. Attention will also be given to the transitional spaces between the natural environments of the Zoo and the city. The aim firstly is to steer away from mono-functional urban spaces and tourist attractions hidden behind built barrier, in order to ensure that the architecture will be an asset to tourism and the general public.