Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/354800
Wander and Entry Plaza Project – Edmonton Valley Zoo by Jessica Krippendorf PHOTOS COURTESY EDMONTON VALLEY ZOO T he design of the new Entry and Wander at Edmonton Valley Zoo invigorates and redefines the fa- cility's 50-year-old image. The second in a three-phase redesign of the facil- ity, the Entry and Wander are essential components in moving the Zoo beyond its status as a central tenet in the city's tourism landscape to an enduring lega- cy with a bright new vision of sustain- ability, accessibility and fun. Edmonton's location in the deep Nor t h Saskatchewan R iver Valley inspired the Entry's design, which begins with an Of the Valley theme. "It is conceptually designed to be of its place," says Stephen Boyd, architect with Dialog. "The project is inspired by the immersive feel of the deep val- ley walls with its grasses waving at the top of the banks, the ceaseless flow of the river with deadfall lining its shores, the rigid columnar stands of deciduous trees that trickle filtered light through their foliage canopy, and the rich pal- ette of colours that make up the subtle and natural blend that is the northern Alberta Prairie river valley." Tannia Franke, project co-ordinator with the City of Edmonton, says the Wander also gives the project a sense of place and positioning. "People go to see exotic animals but they will also see something iconic in Alberta," she says. "It is the story of the North Saskatch- ewan River." The City's wish list included upgrades to services key to zoo operation, leading technology in the classrooms, and cre- ation of a community hub and Free Zone that would welcome visitors year round. In order to develop the detailed exhibits within the Wander and Entry Plaza, COST of Canada Contractors ULC was contracted to develop highly detailed scale models to present the design intent before starting the on-site exhibit fabrication phase. Once the mod- els were approved by the project team, steel work was fabricated and COST arti- sans sculpted the concrete rock facades in accordance with the approved models and reference images. The Entry includes a large, public gathering place, where a café and wash- rooms are situated on the west side; the north side features the ticketing centre and Zootique store; and to the east resides the education building and administration building, which also house two sides of a live otter exhibit. The Entry construction comprises concrete slab-on-grade f loor in the buildings, hardscape in the exterior area, exposed Glulam wood beams, metal deck ceiling and zinc panelling. Three feature walls, including the main gate wall, were constructed using rammed earth construction, which ref- erence strata in the river valley banks, while their hefty two-foot thickness provides the necessary security. The Wander is a one-kilometre con- crete thoroughfare expressed as a series of interweaving pathways and water- courses. Ryan Christensen, project man- ager for Stuart Olson, says the Wander is highlighted by various artistic features like sawcut lines in the concrete that replicate distinct patterns created by First Nations many years ago, and cer- tain areas where blue and green glass and stainless steel are embedded to look like trout swimming downstream. Arrangement of 50 natural rocks and approximately 200 artificial rocks along the Wander required a great deal of site planning and specific elevation param- eters with slim tolerance. Each piece, constructed from steel and shotcrete, required a sub-base, and each was at a different elevation. "There are water jets around the ice caves at top, where the water bubbles out of the ground," says Christensen. "That water needs to trickle down so if any elevations were incorrect, it would spill away. We needed it to funnel into upper and lower trout ponds and through the stormwater ponds, so it had to be exact." E x hibit consu lt ant s at St udio Hanson/Roberts have been consulting with the Edmonton Valley Zoo for nearly two decades. Susan Murray, associate designer with Studio Hanson/Roberts, says the rocks play a big role in refining the design process because the view is constantly shifting as the rocks sub- sequently change from glacial carved rounds by the river to angular shale as you go up the hill. "We tried to talk to everyone about what fabricated rock needed to look like, talking about the geological forces that went into uplift- ing the Rockies," she says. "You can feel the power and force of these jutting up, pointing into the air, and jutting down." Becca Hanson, principal with Studio Hanson/Roberts, says successful site lines are key in the realistic and estheti- cally pleasing effect. "In a landscape like that we are always doing view shed analysis to determine what you can see from any place," she says. "We adjust the location of that place or the layout of the path to provide a constantly unfolding piece of the story with every step." Clerestory glazing and sk ylights ensure generous natural light penetra- tion, and the natural ventilation pro- vides passive cooling while maximizing the indoor air quality. Green roofs on each flat roofing sur- face have been designed to reflect the natural prairie grasses found within the valley. "The selected vegetation will flow from roof edge to roof edge and incorporate plant species that represent a restored landscape, thereby inviting the natural habitat to reclaim its place in the valley," says Boyd. The design's materials were chosen to reflect the overall river valley theme, but also contribute to the project's LEED Silver objectives. Mainly locally-sourced and natural materials and finishes including wood, rammed earth, stone, concrete and zinc solidify and showcase the project's Of the Valley esthetic. n LOCATION 13315 Buena Vista Road, Edmonton, Alberta OWNER/DEVELOPER City of Edmonton ARCHITECT Dialog GENERAL CONTRACTOR Stuart Olson EXHIBIT CONSULTANT Studio Hanson/Roberts STORMWATER PONDS CONSULTANT Biohabitats WATER SYSTEMS CONSULTANT T.A. Maranda Consultants Inc. SIZE 1,910 square metres COST $35 million AUGUST 2014 /105 Wander and Entry Plaza Project – Edmonton Valley Zoo