San Diego Children's Zoo / Design

Plastic reinforced sphere aquarium that Gilbert A. Watrous designed for the San Diego Children's Zoo. 

Yes, it's the same Gilbert A. Watrous (1919-1991) who designed this Heifetz lamp, which won a special prize at the MoMA Lamp Competition in 1951.

 Source: MoMA

MoMA Lamp Competition

Source: MoMA

Gilbert in 1951 

 Source: MoMA

Back to the zoo... Watrous was part of a San Diego dream team led by Lloyd and Ilse Ruocoo. John Dirks, J. Swiggett, B. Wand, William “Bill” Noonan, and Charles “Chuck” Faust, the Zoo’s designer, worked on the design of the San Diego Children’s Zoo. It opened June of 1957. 

Source: San Diego Zoo

The zoo was wild back then!

Source: Life Magazine

Source: Life Magazine

In 1959, some new exhibits and features were added to the Children's Zoo, including the Clark Children's Theater.

The petting zoo.

Source: San Diego Zoo

Brian Wilson was there in 1966

In fact, all The Beach Boys were there.

Source: KCRW

Yes, it's the reissue, but it has a sticker with the Welton Becket-designed Capital Records Building. 

See Malcolm Leland at the zoo, here.