Concrete Jungle

Concrete Jungle by Philip Butler 

£10

Concrete Jungle - An Introduction to Dudley Zoological Garden's Pioneering Geometric Tectons by Philip Butler

Opening its doors to the public in May 1937, Dudley Zoological Gardens is home to not only a vast array of exotic creatures but also a remarkable collection of unique concrete structures known as Tectons. Designed by an architectural group headed by the renowned Modernist Berthold Lubetkin, these structures represented a pioneering approach to zoo architecture that pushed the boundaries of conventional design. They offered both a new visual aesthetic to the viewing public and a modern approach to housing captive species.

Despite most of them no longer being suitable for their original intended purpose, twelve of the thirteen Tectons built have survived, all having been listed by the built heritage group Historic England. Nearly 90 years since the zoo first opened, this book serves as a photographic tribute to these structures.

Annotated contemporary photos by Philip Butler take the reader around the site, structure by structure, documenting their forms in the Twenty-First Century.

A proportion of profits are being donated to the zoo

1st run limited to 100 copies
Softback book (350gsm cover/150gsm pages)
210mm square
50 pages cover to cover