Elephant House At Dudley Zoo

The Elephant House at Dudley Zoo is a Grade II listed building designed in the 20th century. It features a rectangular main section with a narrow, gently convex range extending to the southeast, which is longer than the rectangular part. At both ends, there are flanking staircases that connect the lower level to the upper terrace.

Constructed from reinforced concrete, the building is set into the slope between two terraces and consists of a single-storey range. The front is gently curved and has a glazed surface, which was clad in split-pale timber during the inspection in 2011. It is topped with a deeply overhanging roof plate that includes projecting balconies.

The parapet, which has raised coping typical of the Tecton animal houses throughout the zoo, features elliptical-section steel struts. This design allows adults to lean on the raised surface while enabling children to see the animals without being lifted. The parapet also serves as a balustrade and handrail for the flanking staircases leading to the upper viewing area, and it continues as a wall around the roof terrace above the animal house.

A clerestorey with obscure-glazed square timber windows extends through the roof terrace, providing light to the indoor spaces and being the only visible part of the building from the nearby castle. Additionally, the lower terrace retains iron rings that were once used for tethering the elephants' feet.