THE BRONX ZOO LION HOUSE RECONSTRUCTION

Bronx, NY

Client: NYC Department of Design and Construction
Completion: 2008
Area: 43,000 sf

The Lion House is the largest building on historic Astor Court, an assemblage of Beaux-arts buildings at the center of the Bronx Zoo. A designated landmark, the building has been closed to the Zoo’s visitors since the late 1970s when the lions moved to more expansive environments. The reconstruction transformed the former open-air cages into new natural environments for the flora and fauna of Madagascar, while the former public viewing hall has become a rentable, multi-purpose space opening onto a landscaped exterior garden and terrace. The  building has a greywater recyling system, fuel cell, and geothermal wells, making it a model of environmental sustainability. The project was featured in an exhibit entitled City of Culture at the AIANY. The Lion House is the first historic landmark building in New York State to be LEED Certified.

Awards:
2009 AIA New York State, Award of Merit, Adaptive Reuse
2009 The Municipal Arts Society of New York City, MASterworks Award, Best Restoration Project
2008 Society of American Registered Architects Design Award of Merit
2006 City of New York/US EPA Green Building Design Award