Bronx, New York
By bringing visitors literally face to face with more than 20 lowland gorillas and other imperiled species, Congo Gorilla Forest teaches conservation. A façade of boulders and vegetation hides the “living museum.” Ceiling-to-floor glass-walled galleries place visitors right within the animals’ world. Without question Helpern’s most memorable project, Congo quickly became one of New York’s most visited attractions. It has earned numerous honors, including a Silver IDEA from the Industrial Designers Society of America and BusinessWeek. In its 40th anniversary issue, New York Magazine declared Congo to be one of the 19 best buildings in New York City.
