ROYAL OAK, Mich. – The Detroit Zoological Society is finally unveiling the new design for its iconic water tower that stands along the freeway as a beacon for the Detroit Zoo.
Gone is the familiar blue and purple design that the water tower has showcased since 1998. On May 21, 2024 -- 26 years later -- the zoo announced its new design: a more modern take that’s still rich in color and filled with animals, but also highlights the zoo’s new logo.
Unveiled Tuesday morning, the zoo’s water tower emphasizes the new logo, making it the largest and most central element of the design. The background color has shifted to a deep teal that feels liquid and is contrasted by a bright white logo and the vibrant accent colors of animals and plants.
Animals, of course, are another important feature carried over from the last design. A giraffe’s head can be seen poking through the logo, with a penguin, frog, bird and butterfly also visible on the front of the tower.
Different animals, like a tiger and a flamingo, can be seen from different angles of the tower.
The new design was still being applied to the actual water tower, and should be finished within the next few weeks, officials said.
“The brand-new look of the water tower celebrates animals and nature and purposefully highlights the strengths of the new Detroit Zoo logo, featuring many beloved animals who call the Zoo home, peeking out of the Os in the design,” the zoological society said in a press release.
Those behind the design say the water tower will continue to spark joy like the blue and purple design did for so many years.
Changing the water tower design is part of the Detroit Zoological Society’s rebranding project. Officials said last year that the water town was slated for the change, and it’s been a blank white space for the last few months.
Last month, the zoo teased the tower’s new design with a video showing how the tower changed over the years leading up to 2024, alluding to the new design with colorful question marks. The tower’s original 1928 design was far simpler than what we know today.
Just a few days ago, the zoo posted a close up of the water tower design, showing only the giraffe without any additional details.
Other parts of the zoo’s brand will change, including its logos for the Detroit Zoo, the Belle Isle Nature Center, and the zoological society itself. Zoo visitors will be able to interact with an 18-foot-wide version of the new logo meant for “photo-ops” outside of the zoo.
“Additional features” were expected to be released in the next few weeks.
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The zoo is also launching a new cellphone app to “elevate the guest experience,” officials said. The app was available for download as of Tuesday.
Learn more about the brand changes on the zoo’s website here.