About The Project
TC Architects was selected to provide full Architectural and Interior Design services for the 35,000 square foot Komodo Kingdom, which is located on an under developed portion of the Zoo’s property. This facility is the Zoo’s showpiece, featuring sustainable architecture and imaginative design. The building’s design features energy saving mechanical and electrical systems and natural lighting and ventilation. Our Project Team obtained LEED Certification for the facility, reinforcing the Zoo’s mission of conservation and species survival. This facility is the arrival point for school and community groups visiting the park, utilizing its educational classrooms, research library, and distance learning studio. Zoo visitors may also enter the building from the main exhibition path and encounter a 6,000 square foot exhibit space with interactive displays and traveling exhibits. The animal exhibits provide natural habitats for Komodo Dragons, Galapagos Tortoises, and Chinese Alligators along with a bird mews. A themed dining environment draws Zoo visitors and private partygoers to the facility by providing both indoor and outdoor dining venues. The outdoor dining area’s trellised landscaping provides shade in the hot summer months and will be integrated with the future interactive playground.
Green Restaurant Association – Four-Star Certified Green Restaurant
The Akron Zoological Park received an Excellence Award, in 2006, for their continued support of sustainable design initiatives from the Akron Chapter of the AIA.
This project was featured in Properties Magazine.
