Pairi Daiza – the land of the cold

Zoo: Natural Light for Penguins with Texlon^® ETFE

Natural daylight (also UV!) floods through the lightweight panels with unique shapes. This 107 m² Texlon^® ETFE roof is the newest addition to Pairi Daiza zoo, one of Europe’s most impressive zoos. Seeing so many Papuan penguins relax under our ETFE roof makes us feel happy and proud. We built a printed, four 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 behaviour. 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 penguins 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 35 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.