For the St. Louis Zoo's unique new exhibit, Penguin and Puffin Coast, the architect achieved an innovative open-air design using Newmat's white matte microperforated NewAcoustic membranes for walls and ceilings.

The large barrel vault ceiling includes theatrical lighting, which is used to simulate a colorful sunrise, a sunset over the horizon, and the reversed seasons of the southern hemisphere. The walls were custom tailored to match the jagged design of the rocks. The seamless and smooth appearance of the Newmat membranes, together with the acoustical value of NewAcoustic, appealed to the architect and owner. And when combined with its high performance in such a harsh environment, Newmat clearly became the product of choice.