Even monkeys, elephants and penguins need an infrastructure – at least when they live in a zoo. Basler & Hofmann has been Zurich Zoo’s engineering partner for ten years, providing the zoo with its general infrastructure. The contract has been extended until 2020.

Constant renovation

The zoo receives about 1.8 million visitors a year and is one of Zurich’s main attractions. Covering an area of 27 hectares and housing some 3,700 animals, the zoo is about the same size as a small city district – a district that is undergoing constant modification and expansion.  Increasingly natural landscapes are replacing conventional cages. The ‘Pantanal’ involves the creation of a large seascape for animals from South America. The next big development project is the elephant park.

Long term partner for providing the general infrastructure

Basler & Hofmann has been working for years to ensure that the zoo is well provided for in terms of, for example, general road network, site infrastructure, water, waste water, heating and electricity. The engineering team is responsible for organising the general infrastructure from the pre-project phase to construction management. The zoo’s residents have their own way of showing their appreciation: is there anything more beautiful than lions lounging on a heated stone?

Client:

Zurich Zoo AG

Visualisations: 

Lorenz Eugster Landschaftsarchitektur und Städtebau / Markus Schietsch Architekten