5.0
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
Paid
Cost
Quirky
Feel
Why it's Wildland
5.0A landmark of modernist design, the Lubetkin Penguin Pool was completed in 1934. Its interlaced concrete ramps turned an animal enclosure into an architectural statement; the penguins have since moved to a more spacious habitat.
This is not a wild landscape, but an unusual meeting of wildlife history and modernist architecture: a Grade I-listed enclosure whose sweeping concrete ramps helped make its designer and engineer famous.
Quirky · Atmospheric
Find your way
Open mapChester Road, London NW1 4NR
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
A focused stop for appreciating a pioneering 1930s modernist structure and its unusual history as a former penguin enclosure. Penguins now live at Penguin Beach; check current Zoo information for visitor access and what can be seen at the original pool.
Things to do
Study the interlaced ramps
Look for the two spiral ramps crossing around the elliptical pool, the feature at the heart of Lubetkin’s design.
10–20 minutes
Trace the enclosure’s changing purpose
The pool was designed to showcase penguin behaviour, but the penguins were later moved to more spacious accommodation as understanding of their care developed.
10 minutes
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
A close look at a modernist landmark
- 01
Check current London Zoo access and admission information.
- 02
At the Penguin Pool, take time to view its elliptical form and interlaced spiral ramps.
- 03
Consider how the structure’s design presented penguins to visitors without bars in the way.
Verified history
Completed in 1934, the Lubetkin Penguin Pool was designed by Berthold Lubetkin of the Tecton Group. Its elliptical pool and two interlaced spiral ramps used reinforced concrete, with concrete specialist Ove Arup involved in realising the design. The enclosure included open viewing windows, nesting boxes, a glass-fronted diving tank and a revolving fountain. It became a celebrated modernist work and is now Grade I listed. Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret visited in summer 1939. The penguins were later moved to more spacious accommodation as knowledge of their care developed.
Hidden details
A design made to display behaviour — The pool was designed with open viewing windows rather than bars, alongside a glass-fronted diving tank and built-in nesting boxes.
A landmark associated with Arup — Ove Arup worked with Lubetkin on the reinforced-concrete design; the Zoo’s account says the project helped establish Arup’s reputation for structural engineering innovation.
When to go
· No particular time of day is established by the supplied source. Check current Zoo visitor information.
The supplied source gives no seasonal viewing recommendation.
Check current London Zoo visitor information before setting out.
What to look for
- 01
Look for the elliptical pool and the two interlaced spiral ramps of reinforced concrete. The original design also included nesting boxes, viewing windows, a glass-fronted diving tank and a revolving fountain
- 02
check which features remain visible on site.
The story
Science
Best time to go
Any time the Zoo is open; check current visitor information before planning a visit.
No season-specific advantage is established by the supplied source. Check the Zoo’s current opening and visitor information.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
History lovers · Families · Photographers
Before you go
Practical information
Opening & access
The Penguin Pool is within London Zoo. Check current Zoo admission and whether the structure is accessible to visitors before travelling; do not assume the former enclosure is open to enter. Access arrangements are unconfirmed. Check before visiting; do not enter private land or restricted structures.
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Parking
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Toilets
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Food & drink
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Dogs
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Accessibility
The source row reports a wheelchair-accessible entrance for the Zoo, but does not establish access at the Penguin Pool itself. Check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Cost
Paid
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Penguin Pool
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
