Zoo Knoxville
Herpetarium Addition

Knoxville, TN | Institutional

Project Specifications:

The Zoo Knoxville Herpetarium building addition was a complex design challenge due to a variety of indoor environments (required for the animal residents) combined with a high-quality guest experience and many unique architectural features. EIFS was chosen to meet these challenges. Use of a Fluid Applied Vapor Barrier product manufactured by an EIFS company assisted in keeping humidity levels controllable in areas where needed. The EIFS exterior cladding not only met the aesthetic requirements but is relied upon for maintaining a continuous level of insulation for the life of the building that will allow for more consistent control of the indoor environment.

The design team had a unique aesthetic challenge of creating a 3-D serpentine tail feature that literally comes out of the wall at the building entrance walkway. This feature was required to either be, or look like, real wood so one of the newest and most unique specialty finishes created by an EIMA manufacturing member that mimics the look of real wood was used. EIFS was also chosen because it could meet the critical design challenge of creating a 3-D serpentine tail where a plastic mold, GFRC or metal panel could not be done within time constraints or cost effectively, if at all. EIFS on this building is in some ways like one of the chameleons inside.

Manufacturer: Master Wall, Inc.
Contractor: V&V Construction LLC
Distributor: Creative Wall Products, Inc.
Owner/Developer: Zoo Knoxville
General Contractor: Denark Construction
Architect: CLR Design - Daniel Miller