|
At the time of the World Exhibition of 1931, a small zoo is set up in the Bois de Vincennes exhibiting exotic animals to the public of Paris. Following the enormous success of this temporary zoo, the Natural history museum and the city of Paris join to create, on 15 hectares, the current zoological gardens of Paris. When architect Letrosne designs "a theater stage in concrete, a stylish landscape, wild and spectacular, but overtly artificial" he is obviously influenced by Carl Hagenbeck's cageless zoo in Hamburg. Inaugurated in 1934, the zoo is based on the Hamburg model: disappearance of grids and bars giving the public the idea of being close to the animals in their natural habitat, while the technical infrastructures and the enclosures are camouflaged in
artificial rocks.
The zoo's landmark large rock is a fake mountain of 67 meters, le grand rocher.
thank you for
visiting www.happybami.nl :-)D
Le grand rocher,
false rock and true water tower
It was quite daring in 1932, to build a
reinforced concrete frame without diagonal bracing and to resist the effects of dilation. Moreover the architect decides to cover the building with a concrete skin of 5 cm thickness, carved and painted to create the illusion of a natural
rock sculpture.
This large rock has played a functional
role, too. The water of Paris being, at that time, unsuitable for the animals, the park drills its own well and looks for ways to store the water. Two large tanks are thus integrated into the great rock: one of a capacity 1300 m3, the other of 800 m3.
This grand rocher is inhabited by
a herd of mouflons, markhors,
short-clawed otters and vultures. A stairway of 352 steps leads to terraces overlooking the
zoo, the entire Bois de Vincennes and with a view of the Tour Eiffel and
Montmartre.
thank you for
visiting www. happy bami.nl :-)
Derelict
state
Seventy years after its foundation the zoo
has become increasingly rundown. Because of its crumbing condition the large
rock has to close its doors to the public in 1982. Its restoration starts in 1994 to open again in
1997. Some years later it shuts down again to reopen in 2003. Most of the large mammals and carnivores have been moved to other zoos. Approximately 500 has remained.
Masterplan
In 2005, the Natural history museum takes its role and initiates a new master plan for the Parisian zoo. At the end of the year the design of the landscape architects TN + is
elected for its works of landscape architecture, conservation and education.
The TN+ design includes the
artificial rocks which will be used to camouflage some buildings, just the
way Carl Hagenbeck would have done. From
the entrance visitors will walk through a gorge and discover six habitat zones
at higher and lower elevations: le zoo ŕ
étages, the 6-story zoo. Paris zoo
focuses on 6 biozones: African savanna, African rainforest,
European mountains, the forest of Madagascar, a South American wetland and the rugged landscape of Patagonia.
The zoo will feature animals in their wild habitat and vegetation.
thank you for
visiting www. happy bami.nl :-)
The zoos
most noteable feature, le grand rocher, will include meeting facilities and
a panorama restaurant. D
The renovations is expected to
be complete at the end of 2008. Estimated costs: 135 million euro.
Meanwhile visitors pay a
reduced entrance fee of € 5,-
|
