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Savanna Hall at Zoo Atlanta

Salas O’Brien partnered with Zoo Atlanta for their historic transformation of Savanna Hall, creating a game-changing opportunity for the zoo. With expansive windows and natural daylighting, this iconic gem brings the visitor experience up close and personal to the wild with sweeping views overlooking the African Savanna landscape. We designed the conversion of the historic Grant Park Cyclorama into a new 69,764-square-foot events destination facility with specialty kitchens equipped for kosher catering and a new home for Zoo Atlanta’s administrative offices.

With Zoo Atlanta’s conservation mission in mind, sustainability was paramount to all aspects of the project. As a result, we designed Savanna Hall and Zambezi Elephant Center, the African elephant care quarters, to achieve LEED Gold certification.

Services

Zoo Design, Sustainability, Architecture and Interior Design, Building Envelope

Completion year

2020

Size

69,764 square feet

Certification

LEED BD+C Gold

Photographer

Jason Buch

Interview

Zoo Atlanta, sustainable zoo design

Sustainable zoo design is at the heart of Zoo Atlanta’s vision as one of Atlanta’s oldest cultural destinations. Spanning 40 acres in Historic Grant Park and home to more than 200 species, the zoo is deeply committed to animal welfare and conservation. As part of this vision, the team set out to create a world-class African savannah habitat that elevates both animal well-being and guest experience through naturalistic, immersive environments. Working alongside Zoo Atlanta, Bill D’Onofrio and Olu Oshinubi of Salas O’Brien played key roles in delivering this vision through sustainable zoo design strategies. Serving as architect of record and overall project designers, the team also led sustainability efforts, including LEED consulting and certification for the project. Their approach focused on creating habitats that are engaging for visitors while also supporting the highest standards of animal care.