Eighth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

Public awareness of nature and environmental issues has grown in the last decades, and zoos have successfully followed suit by re-branding themselves as key representatives for conservation. However, considering the fast rate of environmental degradation, in the near future, zoos may become the only place left for wildlife. We have entered a new epoch titled the “Anthropocene” that postulates the idea that untouched pristine nature is almost nowhere to be found. It is time we embraced this environmental degradation and anticipate the change. Clearly, the impact of urbanization is reaching the wild, so how can animals sustain their existence in our artificializing world? This study uses Dator’s (2009) Alternative Growth Scenarios method (AGS), which argues that every future scenario includes these four alternatives: growth, discipline, collapse, and transformation. This study develops an ideal future typology for animals in the Anthropocene, as a guide for zoos who will tackle the great upcoming challenges, by considering multiple possibilities of zoo design.