AFH Design, LLC is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and brings together architecture, and graphic design specialists to provide full architectural and interpretive planning, design and consulting services for zoos and aquariums, parks and organizations dedicated to conservation and recreation. The firm was founded by architect Ana Hernandez, who has dedicated her entire career to the pursuit of excellence in the design of not just exhibits, but experiences that capture the imagination and change the minds of people and their outlook on wildlife and wild places.
Ana Hernandez has a long history with Cali Zoo (Zoologico de Cali) in Colombia. She worked directly for the zoo in the first role of her career, before immigrating to St Louis, where she has grown her business.
Her design company produced the master plan for Cali Zoo and recently, she was the recipient of the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Best Exhibit award for the new exhibit her firm created at the attraction, ‘Along the Andes Trail’, winning against many much bigger firms. Her clients include Little Rock Zoo, Cali Zoo, Summit Municipal Park, and many more. Hernandez has completed several projects in South and Central America, as well as a growing number in North America.
Colombian roots
“As an architect from Colombia, I started my career designing for humans,” she tells blooloop. “Then, I was offered an opportunity to work at a zoo, and it changed my career. Now, I design for zoos, aquariums, and conservation organisations.”
AFH is a woman-owned, minority-owned company that more than holds its own in a competitive – and largely male-dominated market.
“It has been hard,” Hernandez concedes. “I’ve come from Colombia. There, I fitted in. When I moved here (the company is in St Louis, Missouri), it was a different story. Here, I am a minority: a woman of colour. I didn’t know I have a colour until this point, but apparently, I do. It is a male field, so yes, it is hard, but I have made my way through little by little, proving that I’m as good as many of them.”
Better, in many cases, as winning AZA’s Best Exhibit Award demonstrates.
“While it has been challenging, I feel very proud that I am where I am now.”
What makes AFH Design different?
Identifying the factors that differentiate the company, she says:
“Designing great exhibits that provide care for animals is always the aim. But also, it’s important to communicate a message promoting conservation actions. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish here with the work that we do. I think that my firm is unique, as we integrate interpretation into the design from the start.
“Every decision that we make during the design process helps to reinforce the communication of that message. At the same time, we serve three clients: the animals, the staff, and the guests.
“Facilitating this process, even for the most experienced organisations, is sometimes intimidating and difficult. However, I pride myself on my ability to facilitate workshops in a friendly way. I have a good sense of humour, which helps.”
“My experience in having been part of the staff of a zoo helps a lot, too. It enables me to understand how everybody’s voice is important in the process. When you sit down at a table, you have the vet, the people in charge of revenue, the person in charge of communication – everybody has a different background, and everybody wants their voice to be heard. So, being able to balance everybody’s voice and integrate everyone’s perspective in the project is one thing I’m really good at.”
It can be challenging:
“When you work in a bank, everybody’s in finance, so everybody has the same background. But when you work in a zoo, you have tons of different backgrounds, and everybody has something to propose. Trying to balance that is a challenge, but I’m proud of what I can do with that.”
Making a difference
Part of what she loves about designing in the zoo sector is the knowledge she is contributing something positive to conservation. Additionally, she says:
“Zoo design is challenging, and I love that. Every project is unique. You do something new for every client, and you’re always looking for ways to innovate to serve animal welfare, the needs of the zoo staff, and guest expectations. What I love is at the end, when you can go and see the completed project, and watch the animals and the guests enjoying the spaces you have designed.”
She highlights some key projects:
“I have had the distinct honour of having been able to master plan for new two facilities from the ground up. That is very rare in this profession. The first one I did was an international competition. AFH Design was selected for the master plan and implementation of a project called Biopark Pereira, a major 200-acre biopark.”
“This is located in Colombia, in what is called the ‘coffee triangle’. The major cities are all within driving distance, so it’s a great location. The weather is nice, and it’s very close to the big city.”
AFH’s transformation involved the creation of distinct zones exemplifying regions such as the coast, the African savannah, and the Indian forest.
“The second master plan is the Georgia Safari Conservation Park in Madison, Georgia. This is a brand new 500-acre project comprising a safari park and walkthrough zoo, a children’s area with lodge and a savannah exhibit.”
AFH Design was responsible, again, for master planning and implementation.
“One of my first clients here in North America was the Blank Park Zoo in Iowa, where I designed a brand-new Australia exhibit. It was a great opportunity, and I’m forever grateful to them for giving me the chance.”
AFH Design and Cali Zoo
Moving on to the Cali Zoo master planning project, she describes how she set about meeting the zoo’s vision:
“When I started my career at the zoo, we started with new plans to develop some areas. At the time, we needed a new phase for the zoo entrance. We needed to improve the guest experience, and we also required offices for staff, a restaurant for visitors, an education building and an auditorium for education programs.”
“This was the first plan I implemented with the zoo when I worked for them. It took eight years to accomplish. We did a new entrance, new parking lot, new education building, and restaurant. And we did a new exhibit: a brand-new area that we completed in eight years.”
After leaving the zoo, when she returned as a consultant, the vision was different:
“This time, it was to improve animal welfare, to improve the guest experience, and to communicate conservation messaging effectively by connecting people with the natural and cultural heritage. Most of the animals at the zoo are native species. So, we needed to be creative in the way we communicated that messaging. In a great team effort with the staff, we found a unique way to approach each exhibit. For me and them, it was a new and innovative way to tell stories.”
AZA exhibit awards
The most rewarding part of doing projects at the zoo is the implementation phase:
“The exhibit has to be implemented while the zoo, working as a partner, is still open, hosting guests and trying to work around the project,” she explains:
“It was something we had to consider while we were in the planning stages – that there is no off-season for Cali Zoo. We had to figure out creative ways of getting the work done while keeping the animals and the visitors happy at the same time.”
The fact that the Cali Zoo’s ‘Along the Andes Trail’ exhibit won AZA’s prestigious Exhibit award attests to the success of the outcome and Ana’s unique creativity. This was Ana’s second experience working on a project to be honoured by AZA. The first was Henry Vilas Zoo Arctic Passage, where she was the interpretive designer.
“You can’t imagine how super-excited I was, both for the Cali Zoo and for me,” Hernandez says. “We worked hard for it, and it was such a great team to work with. It was good for everybody.”
The AFH Design process
Detailing the process of creating the exhibit, she adds:
“We led the architecture and landscape aspect and were able to deliver the zoo’s vision. The goal was to show the unforgettable habitats and culture that people were familiar with. At the same time, we wanted to incorporate mysterious components that would be revealed through a well-designed, logical exhibit.
“I worked closely with the staff at the zoo, and we created this architectural expression that integrates the interpretive elements that support and dignify this Andean region with the culture and the people that live there: the symbols, the icons, the architecture, the landscape. We were even able to involve the sounds and make them part of this.”
80% of the people in Colombia live in the region celebrated through the exhibit. That familiarity was a challenge to overcome in terms of communicating messaging.
“This trail linked four different viewing areas, themed according to the different architecture – which would be familiar to the guests – of the region,” Hernandez explains. “We wanted to use that recognition to make people feel connected.”
The exhibit is underpinned by meticulous research:
“We wanted to make sure that the architecture of the viewing areas is authentic, and linked to a species, so we could explore the conservation of this specific animal. For the Andean condor, for example, we have a station very similar to a research station in the Colombian National Park. Then – and Cali is a tropical city – we built a replica of the fireplace they have.”
Overall, she says:
“The design exceeded the expectations. It supported animal welfare and the zoo’s conservation projects. Once the project was completed, the guest survey confirmed that the educational messaging had been met.”
Supporting Cali Zoo
The Cali Zoo opened its doors in 1970. in time for the Pan American Games in Cali in 1971. A decade later, the environmental authority was poised to close the Zoo due to the conditions in which the animals were kept. That was when the Cali Zoo Foundation was born: an entity established to save the city’s Zoo.
The Foundation is now an environmental entity working in the conservation of the region’s natural and cultural heritage. The Zoo – which is AZA accredited – has 1000 animals of almost 200 species, the majority of which are native Colombian fauna.
Maria Clara Dominguez, CEO of the Cali Zoological Foundation, sharing her perspective, describes how Ana first worked at the zoo:
“Ana arrived at the Cali Zoo in 1997, to support the architect working at the Zoo at that time. Our architect retired and Ana took charge of said position six months later. She worked in the park until 2005 when she moved to the United States. Ana continues to have a very close connection with the park, and, of course, with me.”
Creating an award-winning zoo
AFH Design was, she says, the best possible fit for Cali Zoo’s master plan project:
“Ana was born in Cali and has worked for our organisation for many years. She has the park in her head; with her, we developed the infrastructure development plans for the Cali Zoo and its updates. In addition, Ana has designed the best exhibits that the zoo has. These standout exhibits include Jaziquima, Australia, Andes, and Fantastic Asia.”
Giving an insight into the award-winning Andes Trail exhibit, she adds:
“Along the Camino de los Andes was born from the need to tidy up the park a bit. We have a lot of fauna from that region, and they were all scattered around the zoo. We also had a space in the Cali Zoo that was wasted. That was on a steep hillside inside the park. We wanted to recreate the Colombian Andes and the inhabitants of this great region. Typical houses of this region were designed, and the vegetation was recreated.
“It is a beautiful display with spaces and management areas – very appropriate for the species that inhabit it. The interpretation team at the zoo managed to transmit messages about the richness and diversity that inhabits the territory and all the problems they have, allowing guests to reflect on the role we have as inhabitants of this territory.”
New habitats on the way
Work is ongoing:
“At the moment our latest exhibit, Asia Fantastica is being built. This is a place where we want our visitors to find themselves in Southeast Asia. We will have 8 species on display,” she comments:
“The project now in design is Africa, a sister continent. Although 80% of the fauna that inhabits the Cali Zoo is indigenous to Colombia, we work with species from Africa that we want to improve the exhibits and illustrate African topics and cultures.”
Overall, she adds:
“I admire Ana for her professionalism and ability to design the best exhibits. The Cali Zoo is very happy to have Ana on our team.”
AFH Design is now working with Cali Zoo on a new project.
“It’s a nature exhibit on Asia, which is a bit different for us,” Hernandez explains. “Previously, we have always worked in fauna. We have just started construction.”
A new Colombian project for AFH Design
“I am also working on a project for a new client, Piscilago Park in Colombia, in the Andean region. We are designing a new primate habitat with eight exhibits of new world primates, working in an actual dry forest, the animal’s natural habitat. We want to accomplish a couple of things, we want to establish the importance of the forest, and its connection with the animals, and we also want people to enjoy and learn about the importance of conservation.”
As part of this project, AFH Design is creating elevated boardwalks:
“This means people will be able to walk at canopy level; the project is called Forest Canopy Passage.”
The company is also starting the design process on projects in North America:
“There are always things here and there being planned,” she adds.
Returning to the company’s recent award, she says:
“Concerning what it meant to win this award against bigger firms, while we are a small company compared to other firms in the business, we have a proven track record delivering zoo projects, both big and small, and our planning capacity and results are second to none.
“I am proud to have created such a firm as someone who came as an immigrant to the United States just 16 years ago. To have received this top honour from the world’s top zoo accreditation organization is a major thing for me.”
