ZOOZ is a project aimed at developing a number of interactive exhibits that productively engage humans and nonhumans in the ZOO. Akin to developing a collection of animal and human enrichment devices, this project is based on designs comprehensible from both human and non-human points of view. They thus enable and encourage cross-special reciprocal interaction.

Enrichment devices for humans can be called “art”. Likewise, enrichment devices for animals might be called art for animals. This suggests a modification of the “is it art” question to “for whom is it art?” What is art for polar bears/hippopotami/flamingos?

In other words, what do polar bears like to look at/play with/do, and why? Particularly, ZOOZ explores the question of what polar bears / flamingos/ hippopotami like to do in Zoo environments where there are humans aplenty. What do they like to do with their leisure time? Zoo inhabitants have considerable amount of this (not unlike their human contemporaries) given that most of their feeding and territorial management issues are controlled by service providers. If given more opportunity, how would they manage this human presence?

Similar to interactive museum exhibits, ZOOZ fosters the very interaction most zoo and museum/exhibition designs try to prevent. The essential concept is to design and manage interaction so that it is productive for both parties involved.