Children's Discovery Center City of Winnipeg Assiniboine Zoo / Centre de découverte pour enfants au Zoo d'Assiniboine à Winnipeg
1986
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada- Architecture for culture, research, sport or leisure
- Building
- Discovery Center
The objective of the program is to design and erect a year round support facility including the provision of interesting and exciting animal exhibits and displays with allowance for complementary graphic materials for the ongoing educational program in the Zoo, which will foster interest in the Zoo, (especially children) and become an appealing place of visit for residents of the city and visitors alike. The development of character of the facility is proposed to illustrate the growing awareness in society of the existence in nature of" an integrated set of relationships as well as between humans and nature. The introduction of the proposed structure is to be supportive and demonstrative of the ongoing vitality and significance of the Winnipeg Zoo, by promoting increased appreciation or awareness of the interaction of humanity with nature and their integration and interdependence.
The building design shall provide for it progressive flow of visitor travel through series of displays, exhibits and associated graphics. This travel pattern is to commence with an orientation center immediately adjacent to the entrance. The travel is then to be directed through a series of habitat the displays· water, forest floor, grass]and, cave, air, utilization by humans and domestication, thence to exit. The domestication unit is also considered to include a farm segment, which shall have an outdoor element during summer months.
The design of the exhibits is intended to promote visitor involvement, and will involve live animal enclosures, static displays, hands "on demonstrations and suitable graphics to supplement or explain the significance of the zone or specifies display/exhibit . Common sense, visitor safety, animal welfare, are basic criteria for design of display or exhibit components.
Of the Vitruvian design attributes, -FIRMNESS, COMMODITY, DELIGHT-delight is the instance design quality touchstone. Structural Integrity and sufficiency satisfies firmness, and accommodation of function is a sufficiency of commodity. The nature of the site and the quality of the surrounding naturel and built park element will dictate ta the sensitivity of the designer the architectural criteria for the project. The facility must attract interest. inform. and inspire people of all ages - particularly children and their family group. While the design is required to appeal to the sensory (touch. sight, sound, smell ) perceptions of the visitor and in particular children, this does not impute that "cute" caricature or nursery rhyme themes are design considerations. Cliches and stylistic solutions must instead be waived in favor of honestly and authenticity of solution reflecting an holistic attitude providing meaningful experience for the visitor with sympathetic maintenance of the dignity of the animals the exhibits.
(From competition brief)
The building design shall provide for it progressive flow of visitor travel through series of displays, exhibits and associated graphics. This travel pattern is to commence with an orientation center immediately adjacent to the entrance. The travel is then to be directed through a series of habitat the displays· water, forest floor, grass]and, cave, air, utilization by humans and domestication, thence to exit. The domestication unit is also considered to include a farm segment, which shall have an outdoor element during summer months.
The design of the exhibits is intended to promote visitor involvement, and will involve live animal enclosures, static displays, hands "on demonstrations and suitable graphics to supplement or explain the significance of the zone or specifies display/exhibit . Common sense, visitor safety, animal welfare, are basic criteria for design of display or exhibit components.
Of the Vitruvian design attributes, -FIRMNESS, COMMODITY, DELIGHT-delight is the instance design quality touchstone. Structural Integrity and sufficiency satisfies firmness, and accommodation of function is a sufficiency of commodity. The nature of the site and the quality of the surrounding naturel and built park element will dictate ta the sensitivity of the designer the architectural criteria for the project. The facility must attract interest. inform. and inspire people of all ages - particularly children and their family group. While the design is required to appeal to the sensory (touch. sight, sound, smell ) perceptions of the visitor and in particular children, this does not impute that "cute" caricature or nursery rhyme themes are design considerations. Cliches and stylistic solutions must instead be waived in favor of honestly and authenticity of solution reflecting an holistic attitude providing meaningful experience for the visitor with sympathetic maintenance of the dignity of the animals the exhibits.
(From competition brief)