Elemental Pavilion – main attraction of the new zoo in Łódź

The Elemental Pavilion is a spectacular, multi-level facility that will become the focal point of the new zoo in Łódź. It is not only an exhibition of animals, but also a narrative story about the four elements and their impact on life on Earth. Visitors embark on an immersive journey, where each level shows a different aspect of nature – from life underground, through watery depths and fiery lands, to tropical forests and airspaces.

Entrance vestibule and start of the journey

Guests are greeted by an interactive vestibule – touch screen visualizes the cycle of life and elemental changes. Visitors then board a stylized mine railway that takes them on a journey through the next worlds.

Underground floor – „Hidden land and life in the depths”

The first stage of the tour leads underground. The wagon glides through a tunnel with illuminated sections of soil, roots and burrows. This zone presents the following

• animals living in burrows: naked rat-moles and wombats,
• formicariae with ants and terrariums with cockroaches,
• interactive museum of evolution with skeletal reconstructions and microscopic sites.

An additional attraction is the opportunity to look through the glazing into the animal kitchen and operating room, where you can see the work of a team of caregivers and veterinarians. The culmination of this floor is a filtration center with an educational stop dedicated to water circulation.

Ground floor – „Water and Fire”

Water Zone

After entering the ground floor, visitors immerse themselves in the twilight of the water zone:

• monumental aquariums with West Indian manatees, arapaimas and piranhas, the
• sea turtle bay – a spacious pool with a beach and islands that allow you to observe the behavior of these animals up close,
• tropical sounds and wave projections enhance immersion.

Fire Zone

Next, the scenery transitions into a volcanic land of:

• terrariums with reptiles that prefer a dry, hot environment (e.g., monitor lizards, spiny-tailed lizards),
• enclosure for Galapagos tortoises, symbolizing strength and longevity,
• warm colors, sulfur scent and lighting effects mimicking volcanic eruptions.

Central zone – „Frozen and Penguins”

In the heart of the pavilion there is a unique – ice exhibition, symbolically created by the clash of water and fire.

• Antarctic penguins live surrounded by artificial snow, with access to a vast swimming pool and diving sites,
• the temperature is maintained at 4°C as a result of heat recovery system,
• the natural light enters through a volcano crater-shaped skylight, amplifying the atmosphere of the ice cave,
• the guests observe animals from the pier and underwater gallery.

First floor – „Air and tropical forests”

Air exposure

This part is dominated by light structures and high-slung platforms. Guests move between

• marmoset family aviaries – ten connected modules in which the monkeys themselves choose between the inner and outer parts,
• the exposures of Ateline, with an extensive system of ropes and platforms,
• terrariums with poison dart frogs, reptiles and insects of South America.

The singing of birds, the sounds of cicadas and lush vegetation give the place the character of an immersive jungle.

Great aviary of South America

The entire side wall of the pavilion was designed as a huge, glazed aviary.

• it is inhabited by toucans, parrots, scarlet ibis and other tropical birds,
• in the central part, the aviary is crossed by an installation for Ateline that can move in the crowns of artificial trees,
• everything is heated in winter thanks to an air conditioning system and heated windows to keep temperatures above 22°C.

Roof – „A look from above” and the outside

The culmination of the route is the exit to the green roof – educational and recreational space, with viewpoints and a relaxation zone. It is also a place from where you can observe external exposures:

• South American sea lions in large pool with beach and enclosures,
• condors soaring in a spacious rock aviary,
• a pair of (Andean) spectacled bears whose enclosure is an added attraction to the complex.

End and exit

The journey ends with a train return or a ramp descent. At the end there is a souvenir shop and a VR point where visitors can experience a simulation of animal life from the perspective of their element.

Summary

The Elemental Pavilion is an iconic facility of the new zoo in Łódź – combining education, innovation and spectacle. From underground burrows, through watery depths, volcanic lands and ice chambers, to tropical forests and a roof full of attractions – each stage of the journey shows how the elements shaping animal life.

Thanks to the combination of various – species, from wombats and naked mole-rat, through manatees, arapaimas, penguins and turtles, to Marmoset family, Ateline and tropical birds,  – complex will become a unique attraction on a European scale.