You might remember the winner of the Buenos Aires Vertical Zoo project from November of last year (2009). It was the vertical water fall with the lion standing on a vertiginous precipice looking somewhat stunned… as were we.

So this year we’re happy to bring to you a proposal by Hila Davidpur, Tal Gazit, Eli Gotman, and Hofi Harari, that is certainly no less creative but not quite so well, outlandish. Their project features a structural wire mesh in the place of a water fall and what they’re calling a cliff aesthetic. The Cliff Zoo is designed to house inquisitive meerkats, probably a few other mammals but mostly birds – and no stunned lions. From ArchDaily:

Wrapped around a rigid structure, a system of nets and steel cables of varying densities covers the different functions, while maintaining, from a distance, the tower’s image of an organic cliff.

The perforated skin of the tower will allow the controlled penetration of natural light and fresh air as well as rain water, in preferred areas, along with a system of green vegetation ingrained in the netting system, thus creating a small eco-system within the buildings boundary.

In order to minimize the damage to the reserve by motored vehicles and the reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions in the city, the Eco-Cliff’s main entrance is via a cable-way which connects to a public transportation system. As an option, we suggest to re-use the old mill silos at Puerto Madero as a possible gateway station, therefore connecting the Av. De Mayo urban axis and subway station to the Costanera Sur Reserve.

While we might disagree with their claim to “organic cliff” and suggest something more like cactus, or termite hill,  the basic idea of a highly malleable structure with variable porosity we think is right on track.