I've been pondering how to make a Fortress of Solitude Zoo for many years. The problem is how to create the illusion of a vast space in a much smaller space. That's no easy task.

After Quartermain created his amazing Krypto, I was on the look out for some Secret Saturdays Cryptids. When I found some, I started considering the zoo project again. For inspiration to the above stated problem, I looked to the great Kenner and Hasbro playsets of the 1980s. Those folks really knew how to represent a large space in a compact playset.

My solution was two shorted "pens," each built on a forced angle to create a sense of depth. Each was built from illustration board, with transparency printer sheets as the "glass." I populated the pens with the Secret Saturday Cryptids and a couple of alien-looking Ben 10 critters. Considering I don't have a whole room to dedicate to a fortress zoo, I feel the results work fairly well.

Casimir
July 2010

You can download the necessary parts to build your own zoo. The parts are hardly 100% accurate, so expect some give and take in the building process. Right click and "save as" to build your own Fortress of Solitude zoo!

Walls
Floor
Construction photos and notes