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The gleaming new Entry Village at the Nashville Zoo is the first giant undertaking in the nonprofit's plan to grow and become even more interactiveand it opened just in time for summer.
'We wanted to come up with something totally unique, totally creative, and different and let people feel like they've gotten a really great value,” Zoo president Rick Schwartz says.
Four other major projects are in the works, including a spider monkey exhibit, an Andean bear exhibit, a Sumatran tiger exhibit, and an elephant exhibit renovation, which will add rhinos. There are also plans for a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital. Meanwhile, the African-inspired entrance is chock-full of intentional design aspects, including dragonwood, thatching, and several live snakes. Here, Schwartz gives us a tour.
Men's restroom: A Boelen's python exhibit greets men at the urinals. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough room to incorporate an exhibit into the neighboring ladies' room, but if you strive for equality in the restroom, don't fret: There's a marmoset exhibit in the works in another women's restroom inside the zoo. 'The whole point was to create dialogue and conversation, and it worked exactly how I wanted. Most women don't believe their husbands when they hear [about the snake]. Then, when they go further down the trail, the reverse will happen,” Schwartz says.
Thatch roofs: 'It's officially thatch made of PVC [pipe]. We went through a lot of reiterations as far as color [goes]. It's like a dead grass, but then, in time, it ages and turns brown. A lot of zoos put up bright yellow, and it just never looks right. So, we put up a lot of different colors and samples, and we're really happy with the color.” The thicker part of the roof protects from harsher weather and temperatures.
Rounded roofs: '[This is] a great architectural design and component that was all done with traditional lumber. It is all geometric in design. I don't know if it's ever been done before, and it worked beautifully.”
Fun fact: During the expansion of the zoo, a pre–Civil War slave cemetery needed to be relocated. The local African-American community became involved, and, now, the zoo has created educational initiatives from the archaeological process.
On the pond: Even the water feature will incorporate live animals, including sturgeon, catfish, and local turtle species. 'We put in the infinity edge waterfall to get some movement. It's magical at night,” Schwartz says. Beside the pond, there's a custom door made from carved wood and a kudu horn.
For the birds: 'The hyacinth is the largest of the macaws and, arguably, the most beautiful. It's just bright, vivid, blue, purple, bright yellow. So, it's just a great presence of huge birds at the entrance.”
Gift shop: Created by a designer who worked on Disney's Epcot Center, the carved-glass doors open to reveal an array of gradual lights depicting an African sky behind savanna grass. The souvenir offerings are expansive and include local designers.
Takeaway: 'I think this entrance just puts you in a good mood,” Schwartz says. 'You walk in, and it's pleasant with the sound and the water and the music. Everything flows. [And in] every corner, there is something unexpected.”