COA Rio Grande Zoo Entry
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Project Info: A major redesign and addition to the entrance of the Zoological Park.
Completed: 2012
Project Description:
In 2012 the Rio Grande Zoo celebrated its 85 th Anniversary. Over the years, the Zoo had expanded it’s exhibits, activities, events and music series. Attendance at these events had grown beyond the capacity of the existing main pyramid entry structure, thus necessitating the creation ofa large group and school group entry, group sales ticket office, and additional access-egress gates.
Set back from the street at the west side of the existing parking lot, the new entry structure provides a visual nexus to the street and the visitor driving down the one-way southbound 10 th St. The pyramid structure still dominates the entry façade in height and scale, but the 340’ length of the new portal creates a signature identifiable entry structure to help guide the visitor into the facility. The new entry gates doubles the access-egress width of the zoo entry and includes group sales and ticket pavilion, security office, and remodeled ticket kiosks. The new ticket sales building increases the sales area by 50 %. New electronic ticketing terminals are also provided to facilitate entrance into the zoo.
