It was a moment of great pride for the country when His Royal Highness the Prince Consort of Denmark and his grandson, Prince Christian inaugurated the Elephant House in Copenhagen on June 12. The pride sure must have been as great as an elephant itself for Foster + Partners. It is their first ever zoological site construction.
To understand and carry out research as to why bull elephants in the wild go far away from the main herd has led to the building of this home where research will center around two enclosures. The domes will provide natural light and the glaze at different times of the day will mimic a canopy of trees.
The opening windows take care of exposure to natural ventilation and the building is composed of warm terracotta-colored concrete and the yellow beach-like sand that keeps things real as these elements were found in the natural environment of the elephants.
Fitted with mud holes, scattered pools of water and shading objects, this site has been so made that the elephants will play and interact as they would in their natural habitat. Such sites not only make an interesting watch but also help in understanding better the behavioral patterns and social behaviors of these otherwise less studied species.
