Zoo: Natural Light for Penguins with Texlon® ETFE
Natural daylight (also UV!) floods through the lightweight panels with unique shapes. The penguin cave at Pairi Daiza Zoo is covered with a 107 m² Texlon® ETFE roof.
Pairi Daiza is one of Europe’s most impressive ones, awarded “Best Zoo in Europe” on several occasions. Seeing so many Papuan penguins relax under our ETFE roof makes us feel happy and proud. We built a printed, 4-layer ETFE cushion system for the penguins. The challenge was to retain a cold environment (under 7 °C) for the penguins and assist the zoo to adapt the penguin’s natural behavior. Further, a 350 m3 saltwater basin and snow from a snowing-making machine helped to reach the goal.
If you visit the zoo overnight you can choose a room next to the penguin’s environment and enjoy a view of the penguins’ underwater acrobatics.
Delivering a Home for Your Plants and Animals
The beauty of nature is hard to mimic. And creating a manmade environment for plants and animals starts with understanding the fragile ecosystems and their inhabitants. The global elite of those who understand zoos and the best botanic gardens have been partnering with Vector Foiltec for more than 40 years. Why? Because we understand what it takes to create an artificial space that is as close to nature as it gets. The impact of natural light, temperature, and humidity is closely tied to the performance of your building skin.
The Texlon® ETFE system is the transparent roofing solution that covers unique spaces and can be tailored to the exact needs of the project. Explore more Botanic and Zoo projects on our website – click here.
Information
| Date | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Location | Brugelette, Belgium |
| Sector | Zoo |
| Size | 107 m² |
| Structure | Steel |
| Type | Roof |
| Architects | Barbarito Bancel Architects |
Images Copyright: Vector Foiltec