To replicate the natural habitat of Japanese macaques, Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo built an 850-gallon hot spring, 1,250-gallon flowing stream and live and artificial trees in a 7,400-sq-ft exhibit enclosed in stainless-steel, woven-wire mesh. One of the biggest challenges was installing the cable-and-mesh enclosure around the exhibit without the use of scaffolding and motorized lift equipment to avoid vibrations, movements and loud noises that could stress the animals. In addition, after nearly 150 years, the zoo has numerous undocumented utilities, exhibits, roads and foundations hidden on the historic property. The team had to relocate existing utilities while sequencing construction around them to stay productive and uphold the time line.

Lincoln Park Zoo Regenstein Macaque Forest

Chicago

Key Players
Owner Lincoln Park Zoo
Lead Design Firm Interactive Design Architects
Contractor Pepper Construction Co.
Structural Engineer Halvorson and Partners
Civil Engineer TERRA Engineering Ltd.
MEP Engineers Primera Engineers; LSS Engineering; TJP Engineering Inc.
Landscape Architect The Portico Group