Monsoon Forest: macaque enclosure from lower viewing window

Looking towards the upper viewing windows and the off-show area below it. Islands, Chester, 19th August 2015

From an exhibit design perspective, there are so many missed notes here it is hard to know where to start. Fine accomodations for the macaques perhaps, but an aesthetic disaster....

@reduakari: you don't approve of the easily visible stairs and staff area? Or the sight of visitors looking back at you from the opposing viewing windows? Or the black metal gates that likely lead into the night den? Or all of the pipes and human-made metal objects above the exhibit? Ha! I suppose that macaques would be very destructive with anything in their exhibit but I wonder why the zoo didn't attempt to camouflage all of the outside elements that are a bit distracting to zoo enthusiasts.

Don't forget the nonsensical artificial rock that morphs into walls at intersections and forms perfect rectangular windows for viewing glass.

The main thing I didn't like about this was the off show dens being visible. In time the planting will hopefully grow to obscure the stairways etc I think the best view of this exhibit is actually from the viewing window seen in the photo. From here you cannot see the off show area or stairways. And the rock work is not so uniform.

As the photos show, this exhibit resembles the indoor orang exhibits. This seems to be the 'house style' for the Monsoon Forest, with visible mesh, pipework and services, although the same fake rock and tree trunks look better when they are softened by creepers and other planting of course.
While I can agree with many of the aesthetic criticisms above, I would ask whether any indoor exhibit for macaques or anthropoid apes can be beautiful while meeting modern husbandry requirements for these species?
I agree with CZF that this exhibit will look better when the plants grow larger and that the view from the larger window will be more attractive, although the animals will be further away. I posted this view because it shows how the exhibit works, which will interest ZooChatters and will also interest some of the public. I don't see why it is wrong to have black gates on the night quarters or to have these in public view: I have never heard of any complaints about these features in the Monkey House at Chester. I think the fact that you can see one window from the other helps visitors to orient themselves in the building as they have to pass down a windowless tunnel between the two, which seems to symbolise the descent from forest canopy to the forest floor (although I am always wary of analysing architect's symbolism).
The bigger question in my mind is how well does this meet the needs of the macaques? I like the tiered floor and the woodchip flooring, but I don't know how much they will use all the hanging straps. If necessary some of them can easily be removed and more wooden structures added. It is worth adding that the outdoor is very large and I am sure that it will be well used when the plants have grown a little.

Alan

Yes-by using more natural elements (more wood, real rocks, real plants etc.) instead of that fake rock overdose. And camouflage necessary elements, such as doors, may it be by clever strategic positioning and by taking account of the visitors's pov. Several exhibits of various species have accomplished this all over the world, sometimes decades and more ago.

I've yet to encounter fake rockwork in zoos that gives off the "feel" of real rocks. Some of Burger's Desert rockwork is among the closest I've seen so far. Still, nothing beats the real stuff...

Most of the fake rock in Islands is in my opinion extremely realistic. Granted the use of it in the macaque and orang indoor enclosures does not feel totally natural, but elsewhere it has been done very well indeed. There are some pics on the zoos website about the construction of the fake rocks - worth a look if you want to assess the quality.

Sorry for being a wisenheimer, but to honestly assess the quality of fake rockwork, I have to see and feel it in person. The photos I've seen so far don't impress me that much. My apologies if that offends your fanhood.

Ha! I'm a big Chester Zoo fan but not at all offended by fair and balanced critiques!!