Petting Zoo by Christoph Niemann
Click to view in the international iTunes Store
Click here to view in the South African iTunes Store
Click here to view in the Google Play store
ABOUT THE APP
Petting Zoo is an interactive picture book for iOS (iPad and iPhone) and Android, designed by
internationally acclaimed illustrator Christoph Niemann.
Christoph Niemann's first interactive picture book is a delightful menagerie of 21 illustrated,
animated animals. Wipe and tap each unique creature and be surprised at how they react. This
app combines the charm of handmade animations and Niemann's wry humour with state-of-theart technology. What would an elephant in your bathroom do? Can a dog breakdance? Could
you play a crocodile's teeth like a xylophone?
The app features thousands of hand-drawn animation frames, and playful, musical sounds for
each animal, providing hours of fun for all ages! Accessible to all languages (no English required;
animals don't speak English!).
With programming by friend and developer Jon Huang and music by South African composer
Markus Wormstorm, Niemann has created a lovable and entertaining pastime that is his first
attempt at interactive illustration.
The app was released in the international iTunes Store in February 2013 and launched at Design
Indaba Conference on 1 March. It has already been featured in Creative Review, Fast Company,
Wired magazine, Dezeen and PSFK. On 20 March 2013 a special South African edition was
made available in the South African iTunes store. In April 2013 Petting Zoo was also made
available on Android (Links to iTunes store and Google Play store above.)
REQUIREMENTS
Petting Zoo by Christoph Niemann is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone
5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation), iPad
and Android phones. The iOS version requires iOS 4.3 or later and is optimized for iPhone 5.
The Android version requires Android 4.0 or higher.
CREDITS
Concept and animations: Christoph Niemann
Developer: Jon Huang
Music and Sound Design: Markus Wormstorm
Executive Producer: Design Indaba
Christoph Niemann
Christoph Niemann is an illustrator, graphic designer and author. He has been a speaker at
Design Indaba Conference, in 2006 and 2013.
After studying at the Stuttgart Academy of Fine Arts in Germany, Niemann moved to New York
City in 1997.
His work has appeared on the covers of The New Yorker, Time, Wired, The New York Times
Magazine and American Illustration, and has won awards from AIGA, the Art Directors Club and
The Lead Awards.
Niemann’s corporate clients include Google, Amtrak and the Museum of Modern Art. He is a
member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale.
Since July 2008 Niemann has been writing and illustrating the whimsical Abstract City, a New
York Times blog, renamed Abstract Sunday in 2011, when the blog’s home became The New
York Times Magazine.
For his column he draws and writes essays about politics, the economy, art and modern life.
He has drawn live from the Venice Art Biennale, the London Olympic Games, the 2012
Republican Convention and he has drawn the New York City Marathon – while running it.
Niemann is the author of many books, most recently Abstract City. In 2010 he was inducted into
the Art Directors Club Hall Of Fame.
After eleven years in New York he now lives in Berlin.
www.christophniemann.com
niemann.blogs.nytimes.com
Jon Huang
Jon Huang is a multimedia producer at The New York Times, working on special projects for
nytimes.com. He works to shape and present stories in new ways that surpass the limitations of
print media using photography, video, audio, social media and programming. His projects have
won National Press Photographers Association and Malofiej International Infographics awards,
and been nominated for an Emmy.
He works with every major desk on a broad range of topics. His projects have covered the death
of Osama Bin Laden, the Venice Bienalle, the European debt crisis, the New York City marathon,
the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. He also creates reusable
multimedia templates for general web newsroom use and wrote the video and audio players
used by much of nytimes.com.
Huang is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College and has worked as software developer for
IBM.
Markus Wormstorm
Markus Wormstorm is a South African writer, composer and electronic musician. He is renowned
for his work with Watkins Tudor Jones (Die Antwoord, Max Normal) on Constructus Corporation,
as well as with The Blackheart Gang as musician and writer on Tale of How. He has also
collaborated with Spoek Mathambo on the music project Sweat.X and with music producer Felix
Laband. In 2012 Wormstorm released a 12-track album, entitled Not, I but A friend, for free on
his website. Wormstorm also features in the 2010 South African documentary The Creators
(documentary film).
Wormstorm graduated from the Pro Arte School of music, art and drama in Pretoria, where he
created a number of theatrical writings and won school awards for music and literature. He
moved to Cape Town at the age of 19.
www.markuswormstorm.tv
MORE ON PETTING ZOO BY CHRISTOPH NIEMANN
Project page: http://www.designindaba.com/projects/petting-zoo-christoph-niemann
Official app trailer: http://www.designindaba.com/video/petting-zoo-app-christoph-niemann
App walkthrough video on YouTube http://youtu.be/9jFXaGUpJOc
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PettingZooApp
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AWARDS
Petting Zoo is the winner of the Editor's Choice Award in the June 2013 edition of Children's
Technology Review. Only the highest quality children’s products in the interactive media
category are considered for this award.
REVIEWS
Fast Company (USA): http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671950/petting-zoo-christoph-niemannsamazing-first-ipad-book#1
Creative Review (UK): https://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2013/march/christoph-niemannpetting-zoo
Dezeen (UK): http://www.dezeen.com/2013/03/06/petting-zoo-animals-app-christoph-niemanndesign-indaba/
PSFK (USA): http://www.psfk.com/2013/03/christoph-niemann-kids-app.html
WIRED (USA): http://www.wired.com/design/2013/03/christoph-niemann-petting-zoo/
Laughing Squid (USA): http://laughingsquid.com/petting-zoo-an-interactive-animated-app-bychristoph-niemann/
Design Mom: http://www.designmom.com/2013/02/petting-zoo-by-christoph-niemann/
Top Best Apps for Kids: http://topbestappsforkids.com/best-kids-apps-pettingzoo/
Mail and Guardian (SA): http://topbestappsforkids.com/best-kids-apps-pettingzoo/
The New Yorker (USA): http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/03/christophniemann-petting-zoo-app.html#ixzz2NzMlaYWQ
Times LIVE (SA): http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2013/03/27/petting-zoo-has-animalmagnetism
Designboom (Italy): http://www.designboom.com/art/christoph-niemann-interview