Bronx Zoo – Wild Animals Meet Wild City

This poster series for the Bronx Zoo seems like a case of a great concept that probably never saw the light of day. The concept is so simple, yet captures the spirit of the Bronx Zoo so well. The designer simply uses the textures of the city to bring simple silhouetted die cuts of animals to life. The result creates a beautiful play between the city and the animal. It’s a great example of a designer considering context as part of the total design. Even better, it’s timeless and can be hung essentially anywhere. My guess, however, is that these are only concept sketches and the design did not get produced. The downside to the concept is the cost of production. The design is deceptively costly, since a series of large die cuts can be very expensive. Either way, it’s a great idea that makes each poster unique simply by incorporating the context around it.