| Summary : The Mappin Terraces in London Zoo are the largest and most prominent of the Zoo's animal enclosures and were designed to provide a naturalistic habitat for bears and other mountain wildlife. It has housed polar bears, Ibex and snow leopards. The terraces were designed by Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell in 1913-14, who was the Secretary of the London Zoological Society from 1903-35 and funded by John Newton Mappin. The architect was John James Joass, engineer Alexander Drew and the contractors D G Somerville and Company. The enclosure comprises a three tiered quadrant with hills, built of reinforced concrete constructed on the Kahn system -a method of concrete reinforcement invented by Julius Kahn in 1903. The quadrant has a radius of 87 metres with concentric enclosures and terraces radiating and rising from the inner angle, forming three levels of animal enclosures divided by public paths. The lowest level originally had four deer paddocks but was later increased to six and a pond originally for fowl, later used for penguins. The middle level comprised six bear enclosures, fronted by a dry ditch with spikey slate parapets to prevent climbing. The upper level comprises four artificial mountains up to 21 metres in height. Water tanks serving the Aquarium (Monument HOB UID 619103) which is situated underneath the terraces, are located within the interior of the 'mountains'. In 1968-72 the terraces were renovated by the zoo's architect John Toovey. It was closed in 1985. In 2008 the terraces were opened as part of the Outback exhibit and houses wallabies and emus. It is known that James Pulham and Son, a well-reputed firm of landscape gardeners had worked at London Zoo. It is commonly thought they installed rockwork on the Mappin Terraces but Zoological Society account books do not document any payments to them. They were paid for work in the Polar Bears' Enclosure (Monument HOB UID 1508628) and for the Coypu Pond (Monument HOB UID 1507946). |
More information : The Mappin Terraces in London Zoo are the largest and most prominent of the Zoo's animal enclosures and were designed to provide a naturalistic habitat for bears and other mountain wildlife. It has housed polar bears, Ibex and snow leopards. The terraces were designed by Sir Peter Chalmers Mitchell in 1913-14, who was the Secretary of the London Zoological Society from 1903-35 and funded by John Newton Mappin. The architect was John James Joass, engineer Alexander Drew and the contractors D G Somerville and Company.
The enclosure comprises a three tiered quadrant with hills, built of reinforced concrete constructed on the Kahn system -a method of concrete reinforcement invented by Julius Kahn in 1903. The quadrant has a radius of 87 metres with concentric enclosures and terraces radiating and rising from the inner angle, forming three levels of animal enclosures divided by public paths. The lowest level originally had four deer paddocks but was later increased to six and a pond originally for fowl, later used for penguins. The middle level comprised six bear enclosures, fronted by a dry ditch with spikey slate parapets to prevent climbing. Larger pools in the outside dens were glazed so polar bears could be viewed swimming. The upper level comprises four artificial mountains up to 21 metres in height. Water tanks serving the Aquarium (Monument HOB UID 619103) which is situated underneath the terraces, are located within the interior of the 'mountains'.
The terraces were renovated and resurfaced by the architect John Toovey in 1968-72 and closed in 1985. (1-2)
In 2008 the Mappin Terraces were opened as part of the Outback exhibit and houses wallabies and emus. (3-4)
It is known that James Pulham and Son, a well-reputed firm of landscape gardeners had worked for the London Zoological Society at London Zoo. There is, however, some confusion over which exhibits they worked on. It is commonly thought they were responsible for some of the rockwork on the Mappin Terraces but a Zoological Society account book which covers the period of construction of the Terraces does not document any payments to James Pulham and Son. However, they were paid for the installation of rockwork in other exhibits including the Polar Bears' Enclosure (Monument HOB UID 1508628) in 1910 and for the Coypu Pond - now known as the Prairie Marmot Enclosure (Monument HOB UID 1507946) in 1913. (5)
The national Pulham database for London Zoo (ID number 224) mentions the possiblity that James Robert Pulham (1873-1957) probably with James Pulham III (1845-1920) worked on the Mappin Terraces. The site has subsequently been published in the gazetteer. (6) |