Abstract:
Zoos have an important role as an animal conservatory. An ex-situ conservation of animals should have a living space
that resembles its natural habitat while also function as an exhibition space for educational purposes. While in nature,
animals require a large landscape for their habitat. Unfortunately, most zoos’ limited land areas impede them from
doing so, especially for zoos in a dense urban area. As a form of public space in the city, zoos not only serve as an
educational means for the urban community but also serve as their recreational facility to withdraw from the urban life
that is far from the natural environment. Several Indonesian zoos that occupied the minimum land areas in an urban
context, such as Bandung Zoo, Surabaya Zoo, and Batu Secret Zoo. Unfortunately, the two first received relatively bad
visitor reviews regarding the lack of animal exhibition space, entertainment space, and supporting space. Meanwhile,
the more recently built Batu Secret Zoo, which shares a similar land area, continuously receives good visitor review
because they feel it simultaneously meets their educational and recreational needs. Improvement is sorely needed for
the other zoos. This paper analyzed the spatial zoning of the three zoos’ landscapes and associated them with the visitor
experience. It is a preliminary step in assessing the zoo for further improvement in educational and recreational roles.
The result shows that the animal exhibition zoning based on a specific design base plays a significant role in improving
the educational and recreational function.
