Zoo canopy creates a stunning new environment for some of the world’s most beautiful animals

With decades of experience of creating zoo canopies and installations, we create aesthetically striking, versatile spaces that are built with the experience of animals and visitors alike in mind. This experience was heavily called on when the UK’s largest zoo approached us wanting to create a new home for their diverse collection of butterflies.

With the building set to house more than 30 different butterfly species we knew it had to be as aesthetically stunning as the hundreds of butterflies it would provide a home to.

With this in mind, we created a beautiful domed timber structure, to emulate the distinctive shape and form of a chrysalis and hint at the beauty visitors would find inside the tropical building.

The unique chrysalis shaped structure is not only much loved by all who visit the park, it also alludes to the learning opportunities found inside, with the Butterfly House home to a popular interactive Metamorphosis Zone in which visitors can learn about every stage of the caterpillar / butterfly life cycle.

To create the optimal tropical environment for the butterflies, the zoo canopy was clad using twin-skin ETFE and Opal 60 technology. This allowed the biome to retain its tropical temperatures while keeping a visual connection with the park beyond.

The wow

The Whipsnade Zoo Butterfly House is not only the only chrysalis shaped Butterfly House in the UK, it’s also one of the largest butterfly biomes in any UK zoo, and provides testimony to our team’s ability to embrace the most ambitious zoological projects with our bespoke zoo canopies.

Take a look at our other work for Whipsnade Zoo.

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