The Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Education Center

In 2019, the Indianapolis Zoo set out to create a learning center that showcases the intelligence of orangutans. The Weber Group was part of a larger team responsible for designing and building the interactive display along with other essential components of the learning center’s experience. The end result is a pioneering facility that offers both an engaging guest experience and serves as a working research center.

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NATURE OF THE PROJECT

The Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center is home to one of the largest groups of orangutans found in any American zoo. This creates a valuable opportunity to raise awareness for this species, which is on the verge of extinction. Our passion for this project motivated us to create an experience that allows visitors to truly appreciate what these remarkable creatures can achieve.

NO EASY TASK

Apes are incredibly intelligent and have a historical reputation for being escape artists, presenting a unique challenge. We designed a comprehensive interactive exhibit that incorporates software for researchers to reward the orangutans using a treat dispenser. The cross-containment studio has been made ADA-compliant, ensuring guests can observe the interactions between the orangutans and their researchers.

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APE THE APE

We created an interactive learning space for these incredible apes, featuring dimensional graphics, fabric panels, realistic tree sculptures, and digital high-pressure laminate signage. At the exhibit's entrance, we handcrafted two life-size orangutan sculptures carved from fiberglass, inspired by ancient Balinese wood carvings. Each fiberglass piece is mounted on an immersive digital high-pressure laminate portal, accompanied by informative signage about the species. The male and female orangutan sculptures welcome visitors to the Simon Skjodt Center and illustrate the groundbreaking care and environment that the orangutans enjoy in Indianapolis.

Utah's Hogle Zoo is home to four Bornean orangutans: Mia, Kawan, Acara, and Tuah. Visitors can see them in the Great Apes habitat, which offers both indoor and outdoor areas.

Bornean orangutans primarily inhabit the lowland regions of Borneo, located on the equator between northern Australia and Southeast Asia. They are known to live in various types of palm trees, such as Nipah palms, Rhizophora, and Bruguiera trees, which allow them to make nests high above the ground.

By nature, orangutans are solitary, with groups typically consisting of one adult female and one or two offspring. At Hogle Zoo, guests may observe the orangutans in pairs. Mia and Kawan have been paired together as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP). You can also spot siblings Tuah and Acara together.

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