Petting Farm // Almere // The Netherlands // 70F Architecture
Most city parts of Almere, a city with almost 190.000 inhabitants, have a petting farm. In the ‘den Uyl’ park there used to be one, but it burned down in the early 80’s, leaving only its concrete foundation. Early 2005 70F Architecture were commissioned by the municipality of Almere to design a new petting farm on the exact location and the remaining foundation. The building was finally built using almost only sponsored money, and finished late 2008.
The architects designed a wooden box with an open facade system for the upper half of the building, allowing the wind to ventilate the whole farm continuously. Half of the building is stable; the other half consists of toilets, storage and on the second floor an office and storage. The stable itself has no second floor.
As you walk lengthways through the building, you will pass the animals that are contained to the left and to the right behind fences. There are no doors in the building, but there are six shutters, two for the public on the short ends of the building and four for the animals, two on either long side of the building.
These shutters will open manually or automatically in the morning, reacting on the upcoming sun, as they will close again at the end of the day, when the sun goes down. The animals will easily learn to be inside again on time, if they like. At night, the building becomes a light beacon in the park.
‘One could say that the box, a building extensively reduced in aesthetic violence, wakes up and goes to sleep every day.’
More pictures: www.70f.com.
Pardon me if I misinterpret this phrase:”…with an open facade system for the upper half of the building, allowing the wind to ventilate the whole farm continuously.”
Does this mean, you could not close it in winter? Those cold, artic winds will haul through the petting farm during wintertime?
I wonder how the pets would stand these cold temperatures and the cold winds. Do they stay healthy?
I never would put one of my pets into this building, if they can not close the facade system during winter to keep it warm.
Hello Jessyka,
I stumbled on to your post. In answer to your question; behind the wood there is a special weave material, commonly used in barns, that breaks the wind. This takes care of high airflows, which are not good for the animals below.
When it gets really cold in the winter, we designed special transparent polycarbonate panes that can easily be placed behind the facade, between the columns. This way the building is easily kept warm.
Greetings,
Bas ten Brinke
70F architecture
This was interesting to read, view, and learn about. It’s the first project I’ve read on this site that discusses animals, and as an animal lover, it was good to see something like a petting zoo be discussed. Thank you.
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