The first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the Taronga Institute of Science and Learning (TISL) is set to be a world-class centre for conservation activities at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo.
With strong connections to the wider Zoo, the brand new Institute of Science and Learning building will transform Taronga Zoo’s capability to undertake leading research that informs policy development around wildlife management and conservation.
Designed by Sydney-based design studio, NBRS ARCHITECTURE, the TISL building is set to be a living laboratory, designed for the purposes of conservation education and scientific investigation. Spanning over three levels the new building centres around a vibrant atrium space that seamlessly links the building’s functions and provides a key orientation point.
The building’s facilities include immersive habitat learning spaces revolving around rainforest, arid and woodland habitats, multi-disciplinary research and teaching laboratories that provide opportunities to see conservation science in action along with digital teaching labs, and cyroreserves. External wildlife encounter spaces have also been designed to provide enhanced educational opportunities and allow for up-close interaction between visitors and animals.
Working closely with the Taronga Conservation Society from initial concept through to detailed design, NBRS have voiced that their vision for the Institute was to ‘create a direct and tangible link between science and learning’, one that expresses ‘passion and excitement for wildlife and conservation through building spaces and detail’.
“The purpose-built facility has provided an agile, transparent and sustainable environment that creates tangible links between theory and practice. The facility is a living example of conservation by achieving a 6 Star Green Star rating,” shared Andrew Duffin, Design Director at NBRS. The building’s façade was also designed to reflect the intricate patterns found in DNA structures. More information on this project can be found here.