Designing
landscapes
that connect
protect
and inspire
Who we are
Dearadh Zú are a dedicated zoo and landscape design consultancy firm based in the UK. Founded in 2020 by company director Jonathan McLoughlin; Dearadh Zú offers affordable and high-quality concept, masterplanning, and detailed landscape habitat design to zoos and wildlife parks regardless of size or budget.
Dearadh Zú offer a full range of design solutions across all RIBA work stages and supports clients throughout initial design phases, planning processes, tendering and construction stages. With an expanding portfolio, Dearadh Zú offers expertise gained from a diverse range of projects, from one-off exhibit developments to large-scale, multi-million-pound masterplans.
Working in collaboration with our clients, we bring innovative, thoughtful solutions to life that promote animal welfare, enhance visitor engagement, increase revenue, and support important educational and conservation goals, ultimately elevating your zoo’s impact.
Together, we can design spaces that connect, protect and inspire for generations to come.
What we do
Project spotlight
Client : Colchester Zoo
Project Name : Project Lions
Year : 2024 - Ongoing
The new African Lion development at Colchester Zoo will see the construction of an approx. 3000m2 naturalistic lion habitat, complete with scrubby planting areas, Mature tree cover, rocky outcrops, dens and water bodies, all of which will allow the animals to exhibit natural behaviours. Our approach to designing the new lion habitat is one of activity-based design, which promotes animal wellness by providing choices.
The new scheme will feature a state-of-the-art Lion House as part of the development. This house, nestled within a rocky Kopje outcrop, will invite guests to explore over two levels. Here, visitors will come face to face with not only lions within their indoor habitat but also an array of other species that call the Kopje landscape their home.
Other recent projects…
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Rescue Lion Centre
The Big Cat Sanctuary set about to rescue and re-home five African lions rescued from Ukraine as part of the Lion Rescue appeal. Dearadh Zú were commissioned to create concept designs, CGI’s and detailed plans for the project. Which include four large external habitats designed to promote species specific requirements. This scheme also included public viewing areas, indoor housing and keeper facilities.
Client
The Big Cat Sanctuary
Location
Ashford, UK
Year
2024 -
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Native Species Trail
Dearadh Zú were invited to work closely with the Hertfordshire Zoo creative team to develop concept and detailed landscape proposals for the Centre of Species Survival, otherwise known as the native species trail. This included designs for the native species areas, visitor facilities, play facilities and soft landscape planting.
Client
Hertfordshire Zoo
Location
Broxbourne, UK
Year
2023-2024 -
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Safari Lodges - Hippos
Dearadh Zú as part of a multi-discipline team, were involved in the design of a new enhanced enclosure for the parks Hippos. This project was the final piece in a 5 year landscape-led masterplan. In addition to the new external spaces for hippos the scheme includes several African themed Lodges with views over the paddock and anew state of art Hippo house and keeper facilities.
Client
West Midlands Safari Park
Location
Kidderminster, UK
Year
2023 - 2024 -
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Gibbons - Song of the Forest
Dearadh Zú were appointed to work with the team at Hertfordshire Zoo to develop concept designs and detailed landscape proposals designs for the new Gibbon habitat and housing at the zoo. This includes developing detailed GA layouts, house layouts, soft landscaping and proposals for visitor facilities. In addition to CGI and rending work.
The resulting project placed runner up in the 2025 BIAZA enclosure design awards.
Client
Hertfordshire Zoo
Location
Broxbourne, UK
Year
2023 - 2024
How we do it
At Dearadh Zú, we can create a bespoke package of design services that work for you. These services can be offered as stand-alone elements, such as developing a concept design for a new enclosure, or we can support you further by developing the design through to detailed design and construction stages.
For each project, we will work hands-on, in a collaborative manner, with our clients, the various stakeholders and broader design teams to develop a scheme that surpasses our clients’ visions and objectives. We do this through a series of interactive workshops to ensure all stakeholders are held and the design is developed with
We work across all RIBA stages and can support you in realising your design vision from the drawing board to site, such as through the pre-application and full planning applications stages, and onto the production of tender landscape packages. We also offer to support our clients on-site, to ensure the vision and quality of the scheme is upheld whilst working with contractors and on-site specialists.
Dearadh Zú is also available to join architectural, engineering and contractor teams as a zoological design consultant, offering complete or partial design services contracts.
Services we provide:
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Feasibility Studies
Feasibility studies are preliminary studies undertaken in the very early stage of a project. They tend to be carried out to test the proposed developments viability, as an ‘optioneering’ exercise or to support business cases. This stage will also include a detailed site appraisal to identify current site issues and gaps or opportunities.
We aid our clients in undertaking desktop and SWOT analysis of the existing site and work with your teams in developing design proposal options to be tested and costed.
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Master Planning
A zoo master plan is a comprehensive document that outlines the long term vision, goals, and strategic development priorities. It typically covers a period of 5–20 years. This serves as a road-map for the zoo's future, guiding its phased growth & development. It allows clients to prioritize projects, set timelines and align with funding / budget strategies.
We support our clients in developing strategic and illustrative master plans suitable for planning applications.
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Concept Design
A concept design takes place at the early stage of a project. This stage involves producing illustrative material to guide the project vision, such as sketches and illustrative layouts that communicate the ‘look & feel’ of the design. This may include CGI’s and renders. The concept design serves as a communication tool between the designer and stakeholders. This concept design will inform later detailed and technical design.
We assist our clients throughout the concept stage which can include planning applications or funding bids.
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Detailed Design
Detailed exhibit design develops a fully resolved plan for a specific zoo habitat or attraction, turning concept ideas into buildable solutions. It includes precise (GA) general arrangement layouts, landscape and enclosure detailing, specifications and soft landscaping. At this stage a fully coordinated design will be developed with input from various design team consultants such as Civils, M&E etc.
We support our clients by providing robust technical and detailed design documentation suitable for tender or construction.
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Architectural design
Zoo animal housing design focuses on creating facilities that balance species specific welfare needs, keeper requirements, and operational efficiency as well as considering the wider landscape context.
We assist our clients in developing architectural layouts working closely with keepers, curators and contractors to create functional, flexible, sustainable and cost effective built solutions. These solutions all have animal wellness and animal requirements at the heart of the design.
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Site Supervision / Support
Our involvement at this stage would include review of the project site works through to practical completion of the scheme. We are very hands on and can help support our clients by undertaking regular site visits, ensuring the project vision and implementation are aligned.
Our brand
The company name celebrates Jonathan’s Gaelic heritage, having been born and raised in Ireland. Dearadh Zú translates directly from Gaelic, to mean ‘Zoo Design’. The pronunciation of "Dearadh Zú" is roughly said as "da-ra zoo".
The company logo is a spotted hyena as this animal holds particular significance for the brand. The hyena highlights a key milestone in Jonathan’s zoo design career; spotted hyenas were the first animals for which he designed a habitat. These animals went on to thrive in their environment, exhibiting natural behaviours and even mating to produce two healthy cubs. I like to think that the habitat has had some role in their thriving.
The spotted hyena’s association with a healthy ecosystem is another important factor in its imagery, as rewilding is another passion of our company, aside from zoo design.
Our vision
From the very beginning of my career, I was driven by a deep passion to become a leading expert in zoo design, primarily through landscape-centred approaches. My goal has always been personal and clear… to create designs that put landscape and natural animal behavioural requirements at the heart of decision making.
Within this approach, I wanted to craft fun, immersive, and captivating habitats where animals could genuinely ‘be themselves’ and flourish. This vision became a reality in 2009, when I took a leap of faith and started my journey in zoo design. Over the next eleven years, shaped by countless experiences and challenges, Dearadh Zú came to life reflecting everything I believe in about thoughtful, landscape-driven zoo environments.
A key feature of Dearadh Zú is that, with each commission, you will work directly with me within a collaborative and interactive design process.
Company Director
Jonathan McLoughlin