Breathing building concept

We have been the resident architects of Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem since 1985. For every new construction project at the zoo, all parties, including the executive organisations, confer with one another from beginning to end, and all projects are developed in co-operation. The development speed is often very high and usually determined by the deadline for the opening of a new attraction.

Burgers' Bush (1988) and Burgers' Desert (1992) are large greenhouses with column-free spans in which a jungle and a desert climate have been created. The roofs consist of a steel structure with a covering of transparent air cushions. We received the Staalprijs (Steel Award) for the construction of Burgers' Bush.

A ring-shaped development is emerging around Burgers' Bush and will enclose it in due time. Inside this ring, more and more new attractions and functions were being housed as time went on, such as Burgers' Ocean in 1998 and the Auditorium in 2005. The main contour is fixed but the chosen shape leaves room for adaptation to the spatial requirements at the moment of realisation. This means that Burgers' Zoo has a master plan that is guiding yet flexible, a principle we call the 'breathing building concept'.