©Tom Harris

GP官宣完成芝加哥林肯公园动物园佩珀家庭野生动物中心的翻新、修复和扩展工程，共耗费4100万美元。翻新完成后，该5,016平方米（54,000平方英尺）的狮屋较之前扩大两倍，在保有原先地标建筑完整性的基础上，为游客提供了更多观赏窗和参与度更高的沉浸式体验。在与西雅图动物园展览专家PJA的合作下，设计团队致力于将该栖息地打造为侧重于为动物提供更大的生活自由度和更健康的生活方式的宜居场所。从空调系统到复杂的岩石工程，再到供攀爬的树木等一切设施，都是经过严谨设计的。狮屋主要供四只非洲狮居住，除此之外还有加拿大猞狸，小熊猫和雪豹。

GP announces the completion of Pepper Family Wildlife Center, the $41 million renovation, restoration and expansion of the historic lion house at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. The 54,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility nearly doubles the size of the previous lion habitat and provides increased transparency and a more immersive experience for visitors while restoring the architectural integrity of the original landmarked building. Designed in collaboration with Seattle-based zoo exhibit specialists PJA, the habitat focuses on providing choices for the animals and enhanced wellbeing, from thermal comfort zones for heating and cooling to intricate rockwork and trees for climbing. The facility is home to a pride of four African lions, as well as Canada lynx, red pandas and snow leopards. 

©Tom Harris

©Tom Harris

林肯公园动物园位于林肯公园的中心，是全美唯一的私营免费动物园。历史悠久的狮屋最初由建筑师Dwight Perkins设计并于1912年竣工，带有砖瓦和陶土装饰，以及狮子马赛克和拱形 Guastavino 瓷砖天花板的大厅。它在2005年被指定为芝加哥地标。设计团队与芝加哥地标委员会密切合作，以保护、还原和增强包括砖石结构、粘土瓦屋顶和铜槽，以及门窗在内的蕴含了原始工艺和艺术的标志性建筑特征。

Sitting at the heart of Lincoln Park Zoo, the only privately managed free admission zoo in the country, the historic lion house was originally designed by architect Dwight Perkins and completed in 1912. With its decorative brickwork and terra-cotta ornament, lion mosaics and grand hall with a vaulted Guastavino tile ceiling, it was designated a Chicago Landmark in 2005. The design team worked closely with the Commission on Chicago Landmarks to preserve, restore and enhance the architecturally significant features of the original Arts and Crafts structure, including the masonry, clay tile roof, and copper gutter, along with windows and doors.

©Tom Harris

©Tom Harris

GP的技术负责人 Patrick Loughran, FAIA, PE, LEED AP 说："改造和修复工作使芝加哥的历史建筑瑰宝之一恢复了活力。"新的特点和功能使得新狮屋在未来能够更好地满足动物园和游客的需求。

新的狮子栖息地跨越了整个建筑的北侧，采用了动物园过去几年收集的狮子的日常行为所利用空间的数据，根据狮子的偏好设计它们的生活场所。3.8厘米（1.5英寸）厚的玻璃面板为游客提供了观察狮子户外活动的广阔视野。团队致力于打造热带草原风格的栖息地，这包括细致入微的岩石工作，考虑到狮子的攀爬特征，并为狮子扩大可选择的活动范围，同时为馆内气候控制提供嵌入式加热和冷却功能。交错倒下的树木结构是由经过森林管理委员会认证的树木制成的，并在投喂时尽力模拟了野外狮子捕食的食物链。

“The renovation and restoration work revitalizes one of Chicago’s historic architectural gems,” says Patrick Loughran, FAIA, PE, LEED AP, technical principal at GP. “New features and functionality allow the facility to better serve the needs of the zoo and visitors well into the future.”

The new lion habitat spans the full northern side of the building, with the design informed by data collected by the zoo over the last several years on lion behavior and space use to understand their preferences. Large 1 ½”-thick glass panels provide expansive views of the outdoor lion space. The savanna-style habitat includes detailed rockwork to introduce climbing features and expand environmental options for the lions while providing embedded heating and cooling elements for climate control. Tree structures and deadfall are made from trees certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and food ziplines, simulating prey, provide an enrichment opportunity for the lions. 

©Tom Harris

GP的设计负责人Joachim Schuessler说：“动物园领导层和设计团队的共同目标是显著改善狮子的栖息地，重点关注动物的健康。与此同时，我们的设计通过消除视觉障碍，让人类和狮子之间建立更紧密的联系，极大地丰富了游客的游览体验”。

游客在狮屋内外都有身临其境的体验，即所谓"鼻尖对鼻尖 "的观赏机会。该设计创造了新的流线，以方便游客的游览路径环绕狮子的居住地：这是一条逐渐下沉的椭圆路径，引导游客从塔瓦尼大礼堂(TAWANIGreat Hall)向下步行至栖息地的中心。该环路为游客提供了从四周观看狮子的机会，人们甚至可以透过头顶的天窗观察。该翻新项目还增添了一个示范训练墙，游客将能够看到动物园工作人员驯狮的过程。该建筑还具有一定的教育意义，呼应了该动物园在非洲进行的保护工作。

“A major goal shared by zoo leadership and the design team was to substantially improve the lion habitat, with a focus on the wellbeing of the animals,” says Joachim Schuessler, design principal at GP. “At the same time, our design greatly enriches the experience of visitors by eliminating visual barriers and creating a closer connection between humans and lions within the space.”    

Guests now have immersive, “nose-to-nose” viewing opportunities from both inside and outside the building. The unique design also facilitates viewing from the Lion Loop, a sunken elliptical path leading visitors down from the TAWANI Great Hall into the center of the habitat. The loop provides visitors the opportunity to view lions from all around—even through skylights overhead. The project also includes a demonstration training wall where visitors will be able to view the lions working with zoo staff to participate in their own care. The overall educational focus of the building is the zoo’s ongoing conservation efforts in Africa.

©Tom Harris

佩珀家庭野生动物中心是GP在林肯公园动物园的第二个主要项目，GP还参与设计了2004年建成的供非洲猿类居住的的雷根斯坦中心。这两个中心是林肯公园动物园最受欢迎的新去处之一。

The Pepper Family Wildlife Center marks GP’s second major project at Lincoln Park Zoo, with the firm having also designed the Regenstein Center for African Apes, completed in 2004. The two facilities are among the zoo’s most popular attractions.

©Tom Harris