Saint Louis Zoo, The Living World

A major component to the Zoo’s master plan is the North Arrival which contains six projects that either upgrade existing facilities or add amenities that are vitally needed for the public’s convenience. The Living World is the North Entrance facility that was constructed in 1989 and serves a variety of functions including ticket and membership sales, guest services, exhibits, movie auditorium, gift shop, educational classrooms, café, catering and office space for human resources and education. Through four phases, the majority of the Living World has been renovated creating a new Welcome Center and Guest Services, a new Café with expanded catering capabilities, a new Education Gallery, new HR Training Center and a new and expanded Gift Shop. All public spaces, restrooms and elevators have been updated with new finishes, fixtures and lighting. The original entrance has been replaced with two new entrances that provide direct access to the Welcome Center and the Gift Shop. The design work was a joint effort between OWH and JCo, a leading themed entertainment planning firm.