Penguin Pool |
| Hob Uid: 619106 | |
Location :
Greater London Authority
City of Westminster
Non Civil Parish
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| Grid Ref : TQ2817483294 |
| Summary : The Penguin Pool at London Zoo was built in 1934, on the site of goose paddocks, and is probably the best known of the zoo's buildings and was designed by the architects Berthold Lubetkin and Lindsey Drake of Tecton following a brief by Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell, Secretary of the London Zoological Society, Dr Geoffrey Marr Vevers, Superintendent of the Zoological Society and David Seth-Smith Curator of Birds and Mammals. It was built by contractors J L Kier and Company with Ove Arup and Felix Samuely as structural engineers. The structure is elliptical in plan, measuring 11 metres by 36 metres, constructed of reinforced concrete with a parapet rising to form a framed viewing area. The pool has interlocking cantilevered spiral ramps at the centre, each of which is about 14 metres long, 1.2 metres wide and between 0.08 metres and 0.15 metres thick. At the head of one of the ramps is a glass fronted diving tank. To the north are nesting boxes over which rise the slate steps, which are covered with plastic rubber. In 1985-87 the pool was refurbished by John Allan of Avanti Architects, Berthold Rubetkin and Arup Associates. The refurbishment included the renewal of concrete finishes, reinstating the mosaic lining and colour scheme which comprised blue for the mosaic lined pool, white walls, grey for the steps and red for the poolside ambulatory. The penguins were moved out of the penguin pool into their new home, Barclay Court on the eastern area of the Zoo in 2004. |
More information : The Penguin Pool at London Zoo was built in 1934, on the site of goose paddocks, and is probably the best known of the zoo's buildings and was designed by the architects Berthold Lubetkin and Lindsey Drake of Tecton following a brief by Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell, Secretary of the London Zoological Society, Dr Geoffrey Marr Vevers, Superintendent of the Zoological Society and David Seth-Smith Curator of Birds and Mammals. It was built by contractors J L Kier and Company with Ove Arup and Felix Samuely as structural engineers.
The structure is elliptical in plan, measuring 11 metres by 36 metres, constructed of reinforced concrete with a parapet rising to form a framed viewing area. The pool has interlocking cantilevered spiral ramps at the centre, each of which is about 14 metres long, 1.2 metres wide and between 0.08 metres and 0.15 metres thick. At the head of one of the ramps is a glass fronted diving tank. To the north are nesting boxes over which rise the slate steps, which are covered with plastic rubber.
In 1985-87 the pool was refurbished by John Allan of Avanti Architects, Berthold Rubetkin and Arup Associates. The refurbishment included the renewal of concrete finishes, reinstating the mosaic lining and colour scheme which comprised blue for the mosaic lined pool, white walls, grey for the steps and red for the poolside ambulatory.
The penguins were moved out of the penguin pool into their new home, Barclay Court on the eastern area of the Zoo in 2004. (1-4)
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