Gorilla Kingdom, ZSL London Zoo

The project was designed to meet evolving modern animal husbandry standards, while also enhancing visitor interpretation to highlight ZSL’s vital conservation work in West Africa.

The scheme introduces a new gorilla management unit with both indoor and outdoor spaces, integrated seamlessly with accommodation for another large primate species, the Black-Crested Mangabey. By adapting and extending the existing enclosure, the project delivers facilities that not only meet current husbandry requirements but also provide flexibility for future adaptation and re-use, ensuring long-term resilience.

A critical focus of the design was to create spaces that can respond to changes in gorilla social group structures, in line with both legal obligations and best practice. The expansion also forms part of the wider masterplan vision for the zoo, diversifying the animal enclosures and supporting improved welfare standards across the site.

Both species – the Western Lowland Gorilla and the Black-Crested Mangabey – will be presented in immersive settings that reflect their natural environment: the wild subtropical and tropical lowland forests of Africa. This approach not only enhances the animals’ wellbeing but also strengthens public engagement with the conservation challenges facing these species in the wild.