The Tortoise Shell in the City: Lincoln Park Zoo's Hidden Pavilion
August 30, 2026 · 4 min read
Chicago is full of landmarks everyone knows — the Bean, the 606, Millennium Park. But tucked inside Lincoln Park Zoo, free and open to the public, is one of the most striking pieces of architecture in the entire city. The Nature Boardwalk Pavilion — a sweeping lattice of bent wood and fiberglass inspired by a tortoise shell — frames a perfect view of the Chicago skyline and sits at the center of a restored urban wetland alive with butterflies, herons, and native plants. If you've never heard of it, you're not alone. That's exactly why we're here.
What Is That Thing?
If you've ever wandered through Lincoln Park Zoo and stumbled upon a sweeping, honey-colored wooden canopy arching over the south end of the grounds, you're not imagining things. That's the South Pond Pavilion — the crown jewel of the Nature Boardwalk — and it might be the most architecturally stunning spot in Chicago that nobody talks about.
A Shell Inspired by a Tortoise
The pavilion was designed by Chicago's own Studio Gang, the firm led by renowned architect Jeanne Gang. Completed in 2010, the structure drew its inspiration from the geometry of a tortoise shell. Its curved, latticed canopy is made from prefabricated bent-wood ribs connected by a series of fiberglass pods that give the surface its distinctive dome-like ripple. Every single piece was light enough for workers to lift and install by hand — no cranes required.
More Than a Photo Spot
As incredible as it looks on camera, the pavilion is the heart of something bigger. The entire Nature Boardwalk project transformed Lincoln Park Zoo's 19th-century South Pond — which had fallen into disrepair — into a thriving ecological habitat. Monarch butterflies, black-crowned night herons, frogs, turtles, and fish now call it home. The site doubles as an outdoor classroom where students learn firsthand about Chicago's urban ecosystem and how nature and city life can coexist.
Next time you're in Lincoln Park, skip the map and follow the butterflies — they'll lead you right to it.
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