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Gorilla House
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- The initiative for the Gorilla House followed the acquisition of two young Congolese gorillas, Mok and Moina. It was built 1932-1933, brief by Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell, Secretary, and Dr Geoffrey Marr Vevers, Superintendent; Tecton (Berthold Lubetkin and Godfrey Samuel), architects; Christiani and Nielsen Limited (Ove Arup, Chief Engineer), builders; revolving wall and roof made by J and E Hall Limited. It cost £4,060. It was altered 1955 and later. It is Grade I listed. Tecton was introduced via Solly Zuckerman, then a Research Anatomist at the Zoo, and a friend of Godfrey Samuel, one of the firm's partners. Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell suggested a building with convertible open caging to allow the gorillas fresh air in the summer and the public the opportunity to see them in the winter. To meet this brief Tecton carried out extensive technical research and negotiated the details with Zoo staff. The heating and ventilation systems were designed to ensure a controlled climate. Protection from the elements and from human germs in cold weather were important for the health of the gorillas. In 1939 the building was adapted to house an elephant and then, in 1955, to house Kodiak bears. It was used for chimpanzees from 1963 and as a breeding colony for apes until 1990 when use of the southern half was abandoned and a koala exhibit was formed, only to be closed in 1992.
The Gorilla House was remodelled in 2003 and used for Aye Aye, then in 2011 for Fruit Bats.
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Cotton Terraces
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- The Cotton terraces form the west section of the Middle Gardens, standing on the south bank of the Regent's Canal. The Cotton Terraces were the first major project to result from the 1958 redevelopment scheme. The accommodated ungulates - camels, deer, antelopes, cattle, horses and giraffes. It was designed to be in keeping with Decimus Burton's Giraffe House and to make the most of the landscape potential of the canal bank. It was built 1960-63, following a benefaction of £250,000 from Jack Cotton. Franz Stengelhofen and Sir Peter Shepheard, architects (Margaret Maxwell, assistant architect); F J Samuely and Partners, consulting engineers.
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Elephant and Rhinoceros House
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- Built 1868-69 by Anthony Salvin Junior.
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Elephant and Rhino Pavilion
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- The Elephant and Rhino Pavilion was built as a successor to Anthony Salvin Junior's Elephant and Rhinoceros House of 1868-69. Plans for a new building had been prepared by Tecton in 1939, but the outbreak of war prevented their implementation. The site was chosen in 1950 and the building became the principal southern focus of Casson's 1958 redevelopment plan. It was built 1962-65, brief by Desmond Morris, Curator of Mammals; Sir Hugh Casson, Neville Conder and Partners, architects; John Mowlem and Company Limited, building contractors. Paddock pool added in 1971. Rhino moat altered 1988. It is Grade II listed.
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Charles Clore Pavilion for Mammals
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- The Charles Clore Pavilion for Mammals arose from the Zoo's 1958 redevelopment scheme. It provided one building for small mammals that had previously been housed in three places. Planning and research began in 1961, but building work had to await completion of the Elephant and Rhinoceros House and its intended successor, the basement of which had been built to Tecton's designs in 1939. It was built 1965-67 following a £200,000 benefaction from Sir Charles Clore; brief by Desmond Morris, Curator of Mammals; Black, Bayes and Gibson (Kenneth Bayes and Maurice Green), architects; G E Wallis and Sons Limited, building contractors. Entrance porch replaced and basement fibreglass trees inserted 1990-91, J S Bonnington and Partners, architects.
Outside enclosures were added in 2003. It was altered and opened as the Clore Rainforest Lookout in 2007.
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Monkey House
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Michael Sobell Pavilions for Apes and Monkeys
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- The Michael Sobell Pavilions for Apes and Monkeys replaced a Monkey House of 1926 - the successor to several earlier buildings - as well as Decimus Burton's 1820s terrace which led from the main gate. First plans were drawn up by Franz Stengelhofen in 1966, but these were abandoned as costly and unsuitable. It was built 1970-72, benefaction from Sir Michael Sobell; brief by Dr M R Brambell, Curator of Mammals; John Toovey and Jonathan Myles, architects; Anthony Hunt Associates, engineers; Trollope and Colls (City) Limited, building contractors.
It was partly demolished and reopened with Gorilla Kingdom in 2007.
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Lion House
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- Built 1875-1877 by Anthony Salvin
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Cattle Sheds
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- Built 1869. From 1967 it had included Chi-Chi's Giant Panda Enclosure.
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New Lion Terraces
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- The New Lion Terraces displaced Anthony Salvin Junior's Lion House of 1875-77 and the Cattle Sheds of 1869 which, from 1967, had included Chi-Chi's Giant Panda Enclosure. It came in the 150th anniversary year of the foundation of the Zoological Society of London and was the final component of the post-war reconstruction programme. The terraces are a rambling complex covering two acres of largely open space. The buildings are deliberately obscured in favour of landscaping that was intended as an improvement in the display and welfare of the animals, an approach that relied on the precedent of the lion and tiger exhibits at Whipsnade. It was built 1972-76, funding from Government and Sir Charles Clore; brief by D M R Brambell, Curator of Mammals; John Toovey, Colin Wears and Roger Balkwill, architects; Margaret Maxwell, landscape architect; R T James and partners, engineers; J Jarvis and Sons Limited, building contractors. It cost £666,232. Sculpture enrichments include a finely lettered slate dedicatory plaque designed by Banks and Miles and cut by David Kindersley. Another stone inscribed 'The Lions House' was taken from above the entrance of the 1875-77 Lion House (the 'S' is a 1970's insertion). A large lion mask was similarly resited and there is a cast lion's head presented by its sculptor, William Timyn, in 1976.
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