It certainly looks very Colchester ish. All that rather unconvincing artificial rock work, the mess of unnatural-looking enrichment, the lack of (apparent) thought having been given to such things as viewing perspectives. I really do like Colchester Zoo, and I admire a lot of what they do, but I can't help but think that if only they'd hire a decent architect and some experts on landsaping, things would be so much better there.
'Colchester-ish' was exactly my first thought. I think I'd have named the zoo in one guess just shown the exhibit. I don't have a problem with the unnatural appearance of the enrichment as such, so long as it offers decent opportunities for the animals - but the issue of the rather hideous rockwork is frustrating - it's only really an aesthetic thing but it looks so very unpleasant - particularly the platforms of it at ground level. And as ever, the enclosure looks rather as if it has just been dropped into the available space without really being designed for it. And (without seeing the indoor areas) how do you arrive at Orang Utan Forest? Not seeing much (or, indeed, anything) in the way of foliage. Having said all that, there are some decent climbing opportunities here, and they extend high enough for the animals to see out of their own area. Reading that back it all sounds very negative - I suspect the exhibit is much better for the animals than it is for human eyes, and we've been spoilt by million-plus ape exhibits recently. And I hereby pledge to not criticise further until I've seen it in the flesh!
Ugh!!! 1. It is hideously ugly and about as far away from a 'Forest' as could be possible. 'Orangutan Grotto' is a better description and takes us back in time designwise. It is really just a larger and modernised copy of their previous enclosure. 2. The simplistic design means the animals can only climb up and down and back and forth to the platforms etc. There is little or no scope to swing or brachiate on this largely rigid equipment. The open top means much of the space around the perimeter can't be used so only about the middle third of the total area is actually available for climbing materials, the rest just wasted unusable space. If instead it had been roofed with bars or mesh to allow rain, sunshine etc in, the animals could have used the WHOLE area including the roof and think of the opportunities for suspending lines of climbing ropes or plastic 'vines' from the roof space which they could travel around on. 3. Scale wise it looks only suitable for a single pair of animals. 4. It is in keeping with Colchester's strangely distinctive style but I can't say its an enclosure comparable to e.g. Chester, Jersey or Paignton designs and an opportunity to provide something really good has been wasted. I wouldn't make a special journey to see this....
Having had a second look at the photo when i'm more awake, here's my opinion The climbing frames look reasonably good for the apes even if they are ugly, however it looks like Colchester have attempted an aesthetic look and failed terribly. Everything looks a little too "blocky" and cartoony. It would've been better to use a fence similar to the once Chester used (also regarding the wall, weren't Chester quoted an extortionate amount to have a modelled wall, so how much did this cost Colchester?) It could've done with a more appropriate name, from the photos it appears that the only foliage i've seen is in the visitor area. It looks ok animal-wise (doesn't look too big however), but is a let-down from what i was expecting. However I hope to see it for myself soon, so will give proper thoughts then.
The exhibit is ugly as hell, and is it really brand new? The little fake rocks everywhere are brutal to look at, the surrounding wall looks as if it is taken from a Flintstones movie set, the climbing structures are average at best, and the aluminum siding/sheets of steel along the left hand side adds nothing to a nasty looking enclosure. Now this will be in Colchester for the next few decades... Woodland Park Zoo's orangutan exhibit: 25% of the actual size of the forest for the apes. http://www.zoochat.com/622/woodland-park-zoo-orangutan-exhibit-44271/
Is it the whole exhibit? It really doesn't look that big, or good to be honest. Very few climbing structures, no plants. Quite out of date looking for such a new exhibit!
This is shocking, did they put any thought in to it at all? The problem is 90% of the average zoo goer will probably think this is great!
Even without the ugly wall, unnatural climbing structures and hideous building to the left it is a bad designed exhibit. Why would they build it deep and narrow from the viewing perspective instead of wide. If the orang-utans are climbing at the back no one will be able to see them.
