Assignment 3
Innovations in movement, communication, and knowledge has made our society ever increasingly interconnected and diverse. Cultures, previously separated by mountain ranges or oceans or forests, now have a chance to be spread worldwide. This flow of ideas and cultures have laid the groundwork for heterotopias, something that Foucault describes as an establishment that reflects many different places; he describes it like a mirror, and how it “makes this place that I occupy at the moment when I look at myself in the glass at once absolutely real, connected with all the space that surrounds it, and absolutely unreal, since in order to be perceived it has to pass through this virtual point which is over there” (Foucault 24). There are many types of heterotopias; some examples are heterotopias of time (such as a museum) that try to recreate spaces from a different time period or a heterotopia of deviation (such as a prison) where behavior inside is different from the outside world. Other heterotopias exist that are “capable of juxtaposing in single real place several spaces, several sites that are in themselves incompatible” (Foucault 25). Lincoln Park Zoo, a free zoo located at 2001 N Clark St, Chicago, demonstrates many characteristics of a heterotopia, and is a perfect example of the spaces the Foucault imagines.
Through its choice of exhibits and design, Lincoln Park Zoo shows its ability to juxtapose many different spaces. Just by walking through the zoo, a guest can experience a wide range of cultures, environments, and knowledge. This goes farther than the exotic animals- the zoo creates cultural ‘zones’ within its perimeter and uses the decoration, exhibit names, and vegetation to fit the animals they feature. For example, ‘Regenstein’s African Journey’ features Giraffes, Rhinos, and Pigmy Hippos and takes visitors on a wooden walkway lined with African plants that lead you from each animal exhibit. There are informational boards on nearly every wall that give information about the country that these animals originate from and their current conservation status. The space is kept at high humidity and the lights are dim, giving visitors the feeling of walking through a jungle.
Just across the zoo, though, the scenery completely changes at the farm-in-the-zoo which features cows, goats, chickens, pigs, rabbits, and other farm animals. In one section, people are invited into a fenced area to brush goats. The space is covered with open fields and wooden fences, and inside a bright red barnhouse there’s a large demonstration area that shows visitors how cows are milked. These two areas, both very different from each other, are both in the same zoo- they are a juxtaposition of two different environments, one a jungle and one a countryside, that offer visitors a glimpse into a different culture without having to book a plane flight.
The borders of these zoo ‘zones’ are not strict, though; the many cultures in the zoo overlap to form an integrated network. In his essay, Foucault mentions how “we do not live in a kind of void, inside of which we place individuals and things… we live inside a set of relations that delineates sites which are irreducible to one another and absolutely not superimposable on one another” (Foucault 23). Lincoln Park Zoo does not escape this ‘set of relations’. One aspect of this idea are the people inside the zoo. The visitors themselves also bring a bit of culture with them; while walking throughout the park, snippets of conversation from other guests are often in different languages. As one of Chicago’s most famous attractions, many tourists from other countries come to experience the zoo. This, along with Chicago’s diversity, leads to Lincoln Park Zoo hosting people from all around the world with different backgrounds and experiences.
Lincoln Park Zoo also has qualities of a heterotopia of deviation. Nestled between Lake Michigan and Lincoln Park, the zoo is an environmental change when you approach from any direction. Lincoln Park follows Chicago’s grid system, with rows and rows of apartments, offices, restaurants, and other buildings. Pockets of grass, mostly contained within public parks, are sparse. Upon entering Lincoln Park Zoo, the scenery flattens and expands. Buildings no longer block your view, and suddenly grass and trees surround you. Behavior inside, with zoo visitors relaxing outside of the greenhouse and looking at animals, is a stark difference to the business-as-usual mindset from the offices surrounding the park. With pretzel stands, many street performers playing kids songs on guitars, and other interactive displays, stepping into the park immediately transports visitors into an environment different than what they would expect of Chicago.
Italy Imagined 
