On Friday we headed over to London Zoo to check out ZOO-TOPIA, a new project curated by Eszter Steierhoffer exploring the architecture of zoos. The day included a symposium featuring artists and architects in conversation on subjects ranging from Budapest Zoo and national identity to categorisation and spectatorship. The talks can be viewed again over at zoo-topia.com. The project was also manifested in a new publication designed by STSQ with a luminous yellow spiral binding and conceived (like the best trips to the zoo) as an ambling stroll through the subject without a beginning, middle or end. The highlight of the day was an architectural tour of London Zoo, which offered an opportunity to revisit Lubetkin's beautiful and now empty penguin house. It may be unfit for penguin occupation but I wouldn't mind living there... Check out the gallery to see what we saw.

Special thanks to the Balassi Institute, Hungarian Cultural Centre for supporting ZOO-TOPIA and for letting loose in the zoo www.hungary.org.uk

 text by Sohrab Golsorkhi