Staged Nature – Zoo of Zoos is a virtual exhibition curated by Enrico Porfido and Claudia Sani (país(vi)agem) and Arian Lehner and Theresa Margraf (Mies.TV) that intends to reflect on the role of parks and zoos in the context of contemporary cities, focusing on Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa. This is an initiative of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation as a member of the Future Architecture Platform and will be coordinated by the Art Library this year.

Built originally in 1884, in the place now occupied by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (the former S. Sebastião da Pedreira Park), the Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa was a pioneer project in the Iberian Peninsula. In 1905, it was transferred to Quinta das Laranjeiras in Sete Rios and its architectural project was made by Raul Lino (1935-1972). It is one of the architectural works that resulted from the professional activity of Raul Lino and is now a part of the catalogue of the Art Library of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

By looking at the past, present and future of the Jardim Zoológico (Zoo), the exhibition seeks to understand its architectural traits and their evolution in the last century, while trying to answer two questions: is there still a reason to keep zoos in 2020? What are the new needs and possibilities of nature staging in an urban environment?

Open item in modal

Open item in modal

This exhibition will be available until September through a virtual tour on the website of the Art Library and is a part of the Future Architecture Platform programme, a structure financed by the European Union under the Creative Europe Programme that seeks to bring the public closer to cities and architecture. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is one of the members of this initiative. The 2020 Programme will be held almost entirely online due to the current context of the pandemic and includes debates, talks, workshops, publications and other events in different European countries that are a part of this platform.