Zürich Zoo Masoala Hall, Rainforest hall in Zürich Zoo, Switzerland

Masoala Hall is a glass and metal hall covering about one hectare, with a roof of dark metal beams and rectangular panes sloping up to a ridge. Inside, a curved walkway with woven metal mesh railings stands on dark supports above dense green foliage. The hall reaches 30 metres in height and houses over 20,000 plants of 500 species.

The zoo decided in 1991 to build a rainforest hall and chose Madagascar's Masoala region in 1994. After the site of the Fluntern shooting range was assigned in 1995, construction began in March 2001; the steel frame and shell were finished by mid-June 2002. The hall opened in summer 2003, cost 52 million Swiss francs, mostly covered by donations, and drew over 1.5 million zoo visitors that year.

Visitors from Madagascar named the pavilion Masoala kely, "little Masoala". Two percent of the Masoala restaurant and shop takings, plus donations at the information centre of about 100,000 US dollars a year, go to the Masoala Be project supporting the national park; a third of the park's budget income comes from Switzerland. The money pays ranger salaries, reforestation and tree nurseries, and helps local rice growers.

When you visit, be prepared for warm and humid conditions since the space recreates a genuine rainforest climate. It helps to move slowly through the dense areas and take time to spot the hidden animals.

About 30% of the plants are Asian or South American species, because trees from Madagascar have root balls too large for containers and Madagascar has no tree nurseries; they are replaced as Malagasy plants grow. Two percent of Masoala restaurant and shop revenue, plus donations of roughly 100,000 US dollars a year, goes to the Masoala Be project in Madagascar.