Dutch firm wins design contract
The Dutch design company Jora Vision has been contracted as designer and architect for the new look Wuhan Zoo in China. The winner of an international tendering process, Jora Vision presented a detailed plan to rebuild the zoo to Wuhan City representatives at the end of 2007.
Inspired by Wuhan’s location alongside the Yangtze Kiang/Han River, the zoo will integrate a new theme entitled “The Journey of the Big Rivers.” Six other rivers from around the world will also be represented, including the Zambezi (Africa), Kapuas (Indonesia), Mississippi (North America), Amazon (South America), Darling (Australia) and Rhine (Europe) – all linked to a central lake. Around each river an imitation of the specific flora, fauna and scenery will be recreated.
Dutch zoo designer Erik van Vliet and Chinese landscape architect Benno Wu form the concept team for the project together with Jora Vision managing director June and Jan Maarten de Raad and his wife June.
“For a Chinese Zoo this is a revolutionary breakthrough, since Chinese visitors are used to viewing the wild animals in cages behind bars,” says van Vliet. “In the rebuilt Wuhan Zoo, guests can experience the habitat of animals by crossing the paths and streams by foot, boat or special vehicle.”
The restyled zoo will open its gates in the second half of 2010.
