Bug World
The vivid reimagining of Woodland Park Zoo’s Bug World is a bold trek through the kingdoms of spiders and insects. 13 intimate vignettes reveal the secret lives of these minute beings. Digital habitat backdrops, a world first in an insect exhibit, blend cutting edge technology with nature to draw a direct connection to the wider world.
Our goals for this project were to build audience empathy with immersive guest spaces, and re-vamped staff infrastructure. This complete remodel of an aging exhibit, under a tight budget, critical USDA containment parameters, and prioritized sustainability goals, required innovative designs and agile project management.
I designed all interior and exterior modifications, animal spaces (including USDA containment), habitats and lighting, as well as managing independent suppliers and coordinating internal departments. I led a team of three during the 4 month fabrication and installation process.
An Informed Design
Originally built in the 1940’s, Bug World has undergone several metamorphoses during its history. When I came along, it had remained mostly unchanged for nearly 20 years. With renewed energy from a new curator and expert animal keepers, it was the perfect time for a refresh.
To kick off the process, we audited the site and performed a SWOT analysis of the original exhibit. We shadowed keepers during their daily procedures and observed guests interacting with the space to gather insights and look for opportunities for improvement. It was determined that replacing the original 14 glass tanks was not feasible for the scope of work, but that adjusting the display heights could vastly improve guest experience. We identified several pain points in the staff interfaces, chief being the large habitat doors and tank stands.
From Paper…
To support a high-speed design phase, I scanned the original scale drawings and built a simple CAD model of the space. I exported screen shots of the model and used Procreate to make renderings of the interior and exterior space concepts, aligning the visions of our internal creative teams.
…To Production
With the aesthetic direction established, I designed a modular shelving and panel cladding system to support the display tanks and create a clean backdrop for interpretive graphics. The design was optimized for manufacturability and to be easily reconfigurable with minimal waste. Vitally, the doors were re-engineered to meet keeper needs and USDA containment standards.
I then used the CAD files to create CNC cut paths to produce the cladding panels and exported linework for our graphic designers to use for layouts and artboards.
Lights And Magic
The influence of lighting on insects is an area with surprisingly limited study. Leveraging the collection in Bug World to create a platform for scientific studies, I researched various lighting methods before spec’ing programmable, full-spectrum, scientific grade lighting made by Kessil. We used their track system for future expansions and worked with IT to program photoperiods and link all controls to the zoo’s building management system.
Our crowning innovation were the 13 individually controlled digital backdrops for each habitat. I used commercial monitors mounted to the tank stands to play looped videos depicting each animal’s habitat. To make future updates a breeze we designed the system to be remotely controlled. To verify proof of concept, I worked with IT and Animal Management staff to build several test stands, checking to make sure the system functioned as intended and no distress was detected in the animals.
Now Make it.
Leading a small team of fabricators, we demolished the old build-out, reinsulated the building and prepared the building for spacing. As the materials and components arrived from suppliers, we assembled the stands, hung cladding, mounted doors and latch hardware, cleaned and reinstalled the display tanks and assembled filtration systems for the aquatic habitats. I filmed and edited the background videos for opening and refined the lighting programming. Finally, the habitats could be populated and the exhibit opened for the first guests!
“Something good about the project”