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Bird House
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- The Bird House was built as a Reptile House to replace the 1849 reptile house, the world's first. It was built 1882-83 by Charles Brown Trollope, architect; Holland and Hannen, builders. It cost £9,175. It was in part funded through the sale to P T Barnum of Jumbo the elephant. It was converted 1927-28 by P E C Lain, architect, to a scheme devised by David Seth-Smith, Curator of Birds and Mammals, and a committee of ornithologists. Small bird aviaries were inserted in 1974 by John Toovey, architect. North service block added.
In 2008 is was rebuilt as the Blackburn Pavilion.
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Giraffe House
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- The Giraffe House was built as a direct result of the acquisition of the London Zoo's first four giraffes, Selim, Mabrouk, Guib-allah and Zaida. It was built 1836-37, designed by Decimus Burton, architect. Wings were added 1849-50. It was bomb damaged in 1940 and largely rebuilt 1960-1963 by Franz Stengelhofen and Colin Wears, architects. It is Grade II listed. The central block is flanked by rebuilt low wings. That to the east was the Hippo House from 1850 when Obaysch arrived at the Zoo. The giraffe enclosure features a high-level viewing platform to give the public face-to-face contact with the giraffes and the 1837 Giraffe House is the oldest zoo building in the world still used for its original purpose.
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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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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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Mappin Cafe
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- The Mappin Cafe is at the lower (south) angle of the Mappin Terrraces, a small quadrant within the larger quadrant. This 'tea pavilion', in Italian Renaissance style, was part of the 1913 scheme but, at Mappin's request, it was left 'until the best possible provision has been made for the animals'. Work began just before the outbreak of World War One, but was postponed for six years before being completed to modified plans. It was built 1914-20, funded by John Newton Mappin; John James Joass, architect. Closed 1985. Grade II listed. The cafe was refurbished in 2003.
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Raven's Cage
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- The former Raven's Cage is a rebuilding of an aviary put up as summer caging for macaws. It originally stood just north west of the clock tower. No longer used as an aviary, it survives simply as a decorative and commemorative object. It was built 1829, Decimus Burton, architect. 'Renovated' 1927. 'Reconstructed' 1948 following war damage. Moved 1971. Grade II listed. By the 1840s the cage had been converted to accommodate a vulture and a small house had been added on the north-western side. This was removed, probably in 1948.
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North Pheasantry
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- Built about 1900. Resited further north 1906-7. More than doubled in length to the west 1913-14. Additions cleared in 1960s.
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South Pheasantry
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- The South Pheasantry comprises two ranges of cages to the south west of the Bird House. Built 1962, Franz Stengelhofen, architect.
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Snowdon Aviary
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- The Northern Aviary, widely known as the Snowdon Aviary, is the largest of the Zoo's aviaries. It is a large tension structure and made of aluminium. An early example of a walkthrough aviary, its landscaping is integrated with the circulation system to allow the public close up views of birds in a variety of habitats. The aviary arose from Sir Hugh Casson's 1958 Development Plan as a replacement for the Great Aviary of 1888, situated near the Main Gate. Anthony Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon) was commissioned to design the building in 1960 on the strength of his design for a birdcage at Mereworth Castle and a recommendation by the Duke of Edinburgh, then President of the Zoological Society and Lord Snowdon's brother-in-law. Armstrong-Jones had trained (but not qualified) in architecture so Casson brought in Cedric Price, who was soon joined by his friend Frank Newby. Built 1962-64, with a benefaction of £50,000 from Jack Cotton; Anthony Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon) and Cedric Price, architects; Frank Newby (of F J Samuely and partners), engineer; Leonard Fairclough (London) Limited, general contractor; Carter Horsley, suppliers of super-structure; Westminster Engineering, suppliers of mesh cladding; Margaret Maxwell (of Bridgwater, Shepheard and Epstein), landscape consultant. Cost £125,000. In July 2021, restoration work started on the aviary which will repurpose it to house colobus monkeys.
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