Lincoln Park Zoo Ape House

The Ape House at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago offers 29,000 square feet of living space, indoors and out.  Completed in 2004, this $26 million center is the most expensive building ever constructed at the zoo.  Its primary features are three spacious habitats: the Kovler Gorilla Bamboo Forest, the Strangler Fig Forest (which accommodates either chimpanzees or gorillas), and the Dry Riverbed Valley (which also accommodates chimpanzees or gorillas).  The indoor exhibits are immediately adjacent to the outdoor exhibits so that they appear to be one.

RRJ was retained during construction to perform in place water penetration testing on three test areas, including a curtain wall section located on the west elevation of the Gorilla A Exhibit, the skylight assembly, and a punched window opening on the main floor level of the new wildlife exhibit.

Witnesses to these construction quality assurance tests included representatives of the architect, general contractor, and subcontractors.