13 January 2017
Lord Snowdon at London Zoo
We're saddened by the news that Lord Snowdon has died. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.
Lord Snowdon architecture
Lord Snowdon designed the iconic Snowdon Aviary, one of London Zoo’s most famous structures which has been a landmark on the London skyline since it was built in 1962. Now a Grade II* listed building, it was the first walk-through aviary in existence - pushing the architectural boundaries of its time.
The Aviary celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015 and, following funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other donors, is set to be given a bold new makeover by renowned architects Foster + Partners. It will be transformed into a walk-through colobus monkey enclosure, which will give visitors a unique and up close experience of the stunning primates.
Ralph Armond, Director General at ZSL, said: “Lord Snowdon will be sadly missed. He created a truly unique piece of architecture for ZSL London Zoo. He was inspired by the graceful movements of flying birds and conceived a pioneering aviary that looks almost weightless - like a bird. It is an iconic piece of architecture so we are proud to have something very special to remember him by.”
Snowdon Aviary today
The Snowdon Aviary has been restored as Monkey Valley, where our Colobus monkeys can swing and leap 80 feet above the ground. Continuing Lord Snowdon's vision of getting people closer to nature.
