Brookfield Zoo - Feathers and Scales

The Feathers and Scales building at the Brookfield Zoo was originally constructed in 1935 as the Penguin House. Over the years the condition of the structure deteriorated to the point that in 2009 it became necessary to restore this historic building. All of the building’s historic brick and stone masonry facades were restored to their original condition. Particularly challenging at Feathers and Scales was the existing 1930’s EKA aluminum storefront glass wall system. Many of the building’s aluminum support sections and the glass wall’s detail work had corroded and expanded, opening up numerous avenues for water entry. Our design included a detailed description of the work for bidding and construction purposes. Through the use of commonly stocked aluminum sections the work was completed in a manner that matched the existing construction perfectly.