Summer
Show
2022
24
November
18:00 SAST


24
November
18:00  SAST


Cross Charted Zootopia

A Zoo Without Borders

Rebecca Bocking

BArch Hons 2022

Supervisors:
Unit Leader: Dickson Adu-Agyei
Unit Tutor: Veronica Chipwanya
Unit Assistant: Demi Bridgland

UNIT 20
Spectres of the Frame
The aim of this project is to remove the old zoo and replace it with a Zootopia which finds a solution to meet the needs and desires of the animals suitable to live within Johannesburg in a humanitarian way of thinking whilst still maintaining a steady income for the Zootopia to continue with rehabilitating animals in need. By responding to the types of environments that can be recreated in South Africa, the new proposed zootopia gets split into 3 categories – woodlands, semi-arid and Sahara-themed landscapes. (These environments are simply imitated through landscape design and not an attempt to recreate the climate itself). As a visitor, the only way to navigate this landscape will be through bridges that are set at different heights to allow for spectating from a safe, non-intrusive distance. As the bridge transitions through each environment, a building hub will be introduced with an environment-themed food market, relaxation pause spaces, and an animal-inspired live film installation room.

The animal-inspired film installation rooms act as a borderless virtual zoo, exclusively used by Zootopias across the world. By setting up cameras within the most animal active spaces within a Zootopia, these live film recordings of animals are thus shared within a digital database daily with other Zootopias across the world. These recordings, in turn, are downloaded and displayed on large LED screens within an installation room. Each installation room is designed with the participating Zootopia’s environment and climate in mind, allowing for spatial qualities and mimicry of the environment to further immerse the viewer into this new and exciting landscape.

The purpose of these rooms is for visitors to have a worldly experience, where they can immerse themselves in the animal’s natural habitat. They will have a one-on-one experience with these animals just like in the wild, except they are on separate continents. The use of these rooms throughout participating Zootopias creates a borderless digital zoo which is an everchanging experience, boosting conservation of animals, education of humans, and a driving force for people to visit the zoo more often.


Keywords:
Rethinking The Zoo, Borderless Digital Zoo, Conservation, Zootopia, Education, Animal Rights





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