For the inaugural project of its $150 million “Keeping the World Wild” capital campaign, the Houston Zoo focused on iconic Texas wildlife and habitats. Texas Wetlands celebrates the biodiversity and ecological importance of the Lone Star state’s shallow water habitats in a stunning natural setting accented by striking contemporary architecture and interpretive exhibits. Along bald eagles, whooping cranes, and American alligators, Texas Wetlands showcases the Zoo’s commitment to sustainability. The project involved a transformation of an existing stagnant pond into a thriving, biodiverse constructed wetland, as well as the comprehensive renovation of the Cypress Circle Café, a historic building at the heart of the Zoo. 

Main Street Design provided interpretive planning and design and environmental graphic design for Texas Wetlands, working closely with the Zoo’s internal project team and consultants. Highlights include signature stylized “reed stalk” armatures for interpretive graphics, simple interactive experiences, and nearly two dozen realistic bronze sculptures of Texas wildlife. One wall of the café, overlooking the habitat, displays a 35’ custom photomural of a whooping crane flying low over the coastal marshes of Aransas County.