Planckendael Zoo
Description
For Planckendael Zoo in Mechelen, we built the preparation kitchen where the animals’ meals are prepared every day. The design is entirely centred on hygienic separation: separate stainless steel workbenches for vegetables, meat and fish prevent odours and flavours from mixing between the different animal feeds. A dispenser wall for grains and seeds allows the correct, specific mixture to be prepared for each animal.
Technical data sheet
Design and approach
The design for Planckendael is based on a completely different approach to that of a traditional commercial kitchen: here, food is not cooked for people, but meals are prepared for a wide variety of animals, each with their own dietary requirements. That separation of food components was the starting point for the entire design.
Three separate stainless steel workbenches were provided: a large bench in the corner for vegetables, a bench with a chopping block for meat, and a third bench specifically for fish. By maintaining this physical separation throughout the entire preparation process, the transfer of odours and flavours between the different animal feeds is prevented. In addition, a wall with dispensers for grains and seeds was integrated, enabling staff to quickly and accurately prepare the correct, individual feed mix for each animal.
Kitchen fittings & appliances
The kitchen was fitted with an oven from Convotherm, which is mainly used here for preparing potatoes and rice as staple foods.
A Hobart dishwasher was installed, specifically designed for the feeding troughs and buckets returned from the animal enclosures. This serves a different purpose to the traditional dishwashing area in a catering or care kitchen, but with the same requirements for hygiene and capacity.
