The San Antonio Zoo brought in Sunland to step into a fast-moving, active project that needed an A&E team to lead design coordination and complete all life safety and code-required elements. The project centered around a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) that would house a portable 4D amusement ride and had been progressing in a piecemeal fashion. Sunland’s architectural team led the multidisciplinary effort, coordinating with the ride manufacturer, PEMB vendor, and a separate MEP engineer supporting both ride and building systems. Our scope included site placement, accessibility features, queuing and shading layout, MEP connections, and permitting support for both historic review and City of San Antonio approvals.

One of the biggest design challenges was working within a tight triangular site next to the Flamingo Pond. To fit the building, fire lane, and public access features, we developed a unique cantilevered deck solution. We provided architecture, structural, civil, landscape, and MEP services, including IBC- and TAS-compliant decks and ramps, foundations and piers, utility coordination, theming infrastructure, and final construction administration. Sunland joined the project in March 2022 and delivered a fully designed, permitted, and constructed facility by Memorial Day.

The result is the San Antonio Zoo Project Selva 4D Theater, a 45-seat immersive venue with two wheelchair-accessible spaces. Located just west of the Beastro and south of the carousel, the theater supports the Zoo’s conservation mission through Project Selva, an initiative that preserves cultural heritage in the Amazon Basin by partnering directly with artisans in Iquitos, Peru.