Dresden, 2009
The island is part of the redesign of the former predator rock and seal pond. The historic axes „rosarium“ and the „rocks“ as well as the former rock framing plantings were integrated into the new design. The rocks become restaged by the partly tree populated island including its central clearing and the pool concomitant plantings. Within this planting the animal‘s winter quarter is integrated (Building: Heinle, Wischer and partner architects, Dresden). The building is not open to visitors but the animals can be watched from the outside through a glass wall.

The visitor enters the island via bridges and dives in a south Madagascan landscape. The explicit goal was the direct contact of the visitors with the prosimians on the island. Therefore the visitors are guided through the tree populated southern area to see the animals sitting in treetops. The pool concomitant plantings are part of the ring-tailed lemur island experience. On one hand, the visitor gets prepared for the animals and on the other, he or she has suspenseful insights from the „main land“ onto the island. The northern part is lemur’s place of refuge therefore visitors are kept off this site. The animals enter the open spaces from their house via a “bridge” made of tree trunks.
client: Zoo Dresden GmbH
area: 0.3 ha
completion: 2009
partners: Heinle, Wischer und Partner, Dresden