by Tracy Dillon
Incorporating recycled and reconditioned materials, this redesign of a souvenir gift store popular for more than two decades builds on the sustainability values of the Toronto Zoo.
“We did everything we could to make the Zootique as environmentally sensitive as possible,” says David Milne, president of DMD Retail Design. “With animal habitats around the world threatened by climate change and human impact, we felt it was essential to bring creativity and conservation together in this project.”
Lighting and Fixtures and Banners, Oh My!
The reuse of existing ballasts, wiring, and conduit suspension reduces both initial and installation costs of lighting. In other areas, the replacement of inefficient incandescent downlights with compact fluorescent lighting improves light quality, increases overall lighting levels by 35 percent, and saves 11 percent in energy consumption. “With the increase of the lamp life by an average of 57 percent, we also significantly reduced the relamping and maintenance costs,” Milne explains.
Recycled paints, made from unused and reclaimed domestic paint remains, throughout the space boast very low VOCs for half of the cost of new latex paint. The supplier, Boomerang, recycles 84 percent of everything it receives, including metal paint containers.
Large-scale graphics reflect the Zoo experience, add color, and bring an element of interactivity by inviting visitors to guess zoo “residents” from extreme close-ups of them. The large interior banners, as well as exterior signage, incorporate BIOflex vinyl, a strong, 15-ounce matte-finish banner and billboard material that attracts microbes in landfill conditions that break down the PVC in three to five years.
Functionality is served by many recycled and refurbished fixtures, including racks and gondolas. Refinished in black, the fixtures look new, reduce resource use, and provide a substantial cost savings for the retailer, Milne notes.
New fixtures, including the main checkout counters and the trim on the recycled gondolas, incorporate Plyboo bamboo, a rapidly renewable material, in the main checkout counters and the trim on the recycled gondola fixtures. “We felt it was fitting to use in a zoo environment not only because of the exotic look of the product, but also because it is environmentally sustainable,” says Milne. Plyboo’s bamboo is grown in managed forests in China and harvested by hand to minimize impact on the local environment.
“This redesign also aligns Zootique with the sustainability values that are at the center of what the Zoo is all about,” says Shanna Young, executive director of marketing for the Toronto Zoo.
Survival of the Fittest
In addition to sustainability goals, the redesign meets tight budget requirements. “DMD delivered a new design within these budget parameters in a creative fashion,” Young says. She anticipates that the Zootique will become an even more successful source of revenue for the Zoo in coming decades. “Every penny of profit that Zootique makes is reinvested in the Zoo,” she says.
The design will be rolled out to the Zoo’s other retail locations, including kiosks and the “greenhouse” store.
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