Designing Chester Zoo

by Arthur Mamou-Mani

Aug 27, 2010

This is a good example in which hand modelling was combined with Grasshopper. The free-form "dome" is controlled by six points and a grasshopper definition sweeps a surface through its thrust lines. The curvature of the free-form "dome" had to be as positive as possible which explains all the red.

  • taz

    I remember seeing this project when the design was annouced. It's ginormous!

    Is that also the project you were doing the gridshell modeling for? Is the roof going to be ETFE pilliows?

    Aug 27, 2010

  • Arthur Mamou-Mani

    Hi Taz, it is a big one, 200m long !
    The project is going through planning now, waiting for the answer next month hopefully.
    The whole discussion about gridshell really helped for its modelling...
    It will be all covered by ETFE triangular pillows going from 3m.sq. to 31 m.sq.

    The project was just published on OpenBuildings.com:
    http://www.openbuildings.com/buildings/the-heart-of-africa-biodome-...

    Aug 31, 2010