The Bicentennial Pavilion and Promenade at the Indianapolis Zoo provides 40,000 sf of weather-protected space for up to 1,000 seated guests. The open-air special events facility can host concerts, picnics, and private events. The Zoo’s newest bird exhibition, Magnificent Macaws, is also located under the new pavilion and includes a custom-designed stage and perch.
The pavilion was inspired by a lush rainforest and comprises eleven 35-foot-tall steel tree-like “pods” created mainly from natural materials. Each pod consists of 63 individual wood beams that range from 83 feet long and 19,000 pounds to three feet long and 25 pounds. Sunlight can filter through to the ground level via translucent roofing materials. The “forest” of pods is held together with 6,424 bolts and lag screws. A hearth of roughback quarry block limestone serves as a visual centerpiece and provides warmth during colder weather.
Photo: Susan Fleck.
Rainwater is collected 100% on-site and percolates into an aquifer. When rainwater contacts the Pavilion’s canopy, it is funneled into the pods, down their rain screens created from custom-designed weathered steel, to a sunken, plant-filled bed. From there, the water travels through a water quality unit and into a 14-foot-deep water detention bed of free draining stones, designed to accommodate 100-year flood events. Each bed contains plants that can thrive in saturated environments with water intake pipes that are raised above grade to encourage natural percolation through the soil.
Photo: Susan Fleck.
The Bicentennial Pavilion and Promenade was designed by RATIO Architects and used a $10 million grant from the Lilly Endowment.
Photo: Susan Fleck.
Photo: Susan Fleck.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
JE Dunn, Balfour Beatty among country's biggest institutional building contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 Institutional Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, Arup, AECOM top BD+C's ranking of the nation's 75 largest international design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 International Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Clark Group, Mortenson among nation's busiest state/local government contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 40 State/Local Government Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit /giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, CH2M Hill, AECOM top BD+C's ranking of the 75 largest federal government design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 Federal Government Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, HOK top BD+C's ranking of the 75 largest state/local government design firms
A ranking of the Top 75 State/Local Government Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Clark Group, Hensel Phelps among nation's largest federal government contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 40 Federal Government Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Jacobs, HDR top BD+C's ranking of the nation's 100 largest institutional building design firms
A ranking of the Top 100 Institutional Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Integrated Project Delivery builds a brave, new BIM world
Three-dimensional information, such as that provided by building information modeling, allows all members of the Building Team to visualize the many components of a project and how they work together. BIM and other 3D tools convey the idea and intent of the designer to the entire Building Team and lay the groundwork for integrated project delivery.
