This project forms part of the practice’s ongoing work for Perth Zoo. Designed to establish connections between Orang-utan behaviour, living patterns and qualities of their natural environment this new enclosure consists of a series of ‘trees’ that simulate the physical complexities of a rainforest. This is achieved through a careful assemblage of recycled concrete pylons and robust steel ‘branches’ and climbing frames. Each tree holds double decker nests with timber and steel shading structures providing points of rest. This, along with a collection of activities; puzzle boxes, dip tubes, water canoes, drinkers, the bent steel armatures and ropes are able to be tuned to create a constantly changing, stimulating environment. This project continues a line of research into the manner that the aesthetics of ‘environmental architecture’ may evolve from landscape, program and materiality rather than technological systems. The project has been published in AR magazine, MONUMENT and Houses Magazine. It formed part of the New Trends in Architecture Europe Asia Pacific 2007, traveling exhibition/symposium that visited Patras (Greece), Tokyo, Melbourne, Perth, Luxemborg and Barcelona. It was also featured in the chapter on iredale Pedersen hook in Next Wave, Davina Jackson’s important book documenting emergent Australian architecture practices. The Orangutan Enclosure received an Honourable Mention, in the highly prestigious Architectural Review Awards for Emerging Architecture, London in 2008 and the Environmental Award in the 2003 RAIA WA Chapter Architecture Awards.

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