Opening enclosure orangutans, The National Museum of Natural History, Paris (FR)

In the first week of April the 5 orangutans living in the Menagerie, a historic zoo founded in 1794 and located in the heart of Paris moved to their new enclosure. The ‘Ménagerie commissioned Ney & Partners, in collaboration with MARBORIS to design a new enclosure for these primates. The new enclosure covers an area of 800 m² and is 15 m high.

The supporting structure is a three-dimensional stainless steel reticulated structure that serves both as a support for the tensioned net and as an intricate climbing framework for the orangutans. An elevated walkway connects this enclosure to the historic ‘La Singerie’ building, allowing the great apes to move freely between the two, passing over the public. At the three ends of the enclosure’s triangular enclosure, viewing platforms equipped with painted steel canopies offer visitors an immersive view in to the habitat. It is equipped with a variety of apparatus, ropes, cascading pools, natural stones from the Fontainebleau forest and abundant vegetation, creating a stimulating and natural environment that contributes to the animals’ well-being. Copyright image: MNHN – G. Balemboy.