By Tom Anstey

Seneca Park Zoo has named the architects for the latest phase of its US$100m (€95.9m, £80.9m) expansion, with award-winning design firm CambridgeSeven imagining the US development project.

The zoo in Rochester, New York, is set to add a new Tropics Exhibit, as well as a Main Entry Building to complete the second phase of the animal attraction’s masterplan.

CambridgeSeven has been selected by Monroe County following a design competition, with the proposal envisioning an improved modern visitor experience, new exhibits and a focus on the institution’s long standing conservation work.

Inspired by the adjacent Genesee River Valley, the new Entry and Tropics Exhibit buildings have been designed to create a valley through which visitors can learn about the local river system, as well as the globally important valley ecosystems in Africa and Asia. In the exhibits, emphasis will be placed upon the similarities of conservation stories in these areas.

CambridgeSeven’s design is composed of sustainable materials, native plantings, and sensitive scale and siting, with the plans aiming to integrate the zoo with the landscape of Seneca Park and the wider Monroe County Parks system.

The new 22,000sq ft (2,000sq m) Entry Plaza will provide new infrastructure for ticketing offices, classroom and education space, event space, administrative offices, and the Zoo Shop.

Meanwhile, the 48,000sq ft (4,500sq m) Tropics Exhibit will feature a multi-level immersive experience with indoor rainforest habitats, outdoor microclimates and aquariums connected with educational and event spaces that offer a gateway to the zoo. A 150,000-gallon Pacific Reef Tank and other tropical habitats will be home to a number of native animal species. Both buildings, says the attraction, will contribute to the Seneca Park Zoo and Monroe County’s larger conservation efforts to save animals from extinction and protect wildlife while providing opportunities for visitors to learn about the dynamic conservation work.

“This important project will help usher in a new chapter for this beloved Rochester institution,” said Adam Mitchell, AIA, principal at CambridgeSeven.

“Our design will not only help to further their mission and conservation efforts but will also help to broaden the zoo’s ability to reach and educate the local community and its visitors.”

Construction work is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026 with an anticipated completion in early 2028.